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disturb

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To disturb is defined as to interfere with something or bother someone.

(verb)

When you mess up a perfect arrangement of vases and put them all out of alignment, this is an example of disturb.
When you wake up a person who is sleeping, this is an example of disturb.

See disturb in Webster's New World College Dictionary

transitive verb

to break up the quiet or serenity of; agitate (what is quiet or still)
to upset mentally or emotionally; make uneasy or anxious
to break up the settled order or orderly working of: to disturb the books on a shelf
to break in on; interrupt
to inconvenience: don't disturb yourself

Origin: ME distourben < OFr distourber < L disturbare, to drive asunder < dis-, intens. + turbare, to disorder < turba, a crowd, mob: see turbid

Related Forms:

disturber noun

See disturb in American Heritage Dictionary 4

transitive verb dis·turbed, dis·turb·ing, dis·turbs

To break up or destroy the tranquillity or settled state of: “Subterranean fires and deep unrest disturb the whole area” (Rachel Carson).
To trouble emotionally or mentally; upset.
a. To interfere with; interrupt: noise that disturbed my sleep.
b. To intrude on; inconvenience: Constant calls disturbed her work.
To put out of order; disarrange.

Origin:

Origin: Middle English distourben

Origin: , from Old French destourber

Origin: , from Latin disturbāre

Origin: : Latin dis-, dis-

Origin: + Latin turbāre, to agitate (from turba, confusion, probably from Greek turbē)

Related Forms: