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Definition of disturb verb from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

disturb

verb
 
/dɪˈstɜːb/
 
/dɪˈstɜːrb/
Verb Forms
present simple I / you / we / they disturb
 
/dɪˈstɜːb/
 
/dɪˈstɜːrb/
he / she / it disturbs
 
/dɪˈstɜːbz/
 
/dɪˈstɜːrbz/
past simple disturbed
 
/dɪˈstɜːbd/
 
/dɪˈstɜːrbd/
past participle disturbed
 
/dɪˈstɜːbd/
 
/dɪˈstɜːrbd/
-ing form disturbing
 
/dɪˈstɜːbɪŋ/
 
/dɪˈstɜːrbɪŋ/
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  1. disturb somebody/something to interrupt somebody when they are trying to work, sleep, etc.
    • I'm sorry to disturb you, but can I talk to you for a moment?
    • If you get up early, try not to disturb everyone else.
    • Do not disturb (= a sign placed on the outside of the door of a hotel room, office, etc.)
    • She awoke early after a disturbed night.
    • Only the cry of seabirds disturbed the silence.
    Extra Examples
    • I'm sorry to disturb you, but could you sign this letter?
    • Don't disturb her when she's working.
    • There's no point in disturbing him with something so trivial.
  2. to make somebody worry
    • disturb somebody The letter shocked and disturbed me.
    • it disturbs somebody to do something It disturbed her to realize that she was alone.
    • It disturbed her to realize that she was missing him already.
  3. disturb something to move something or change its position
    • Don't disturb the papers on my desk.
  4. disturb something to make something function differently from normal
    • During a magnetic storm, the earth's magnetic field is disturbed.
  5. Word OriginMiddle English: from Old French destourber, from Latin disturbare, from dis- ‘utterly’ + turbare ‘disturb’ (from turba ‘tumult’).
See disturb in the Oxford Advanced American DictionarySee disturb in the Oxford Learner's Dictionary of Academic English
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