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Disturbance

//dɪˈstɜːbəns// noun

Definitions

Noun
  1. 1
    The act of disturbing, being disturbed. countable, uncountable
  2. 2
    the act of disturbing something or someone; setting something in motion wordnet
  3. 3
    Something that disturbs. countable, uncountable

    "That guy causes a lot of trouble, you know, he’s such a disturbance."

  4. 4
    a noisy fight wordnet
  5. 5
    A noisy commotion that causes a hubbub or interruption. countable, uncountable
Show 7 more definitions
  1. 6
    activity that is a malfunction, intrusion, or interruption wordnet
  2. 7
    An interruption of that which is normal or regular. countable, uncountable

    "Phoenix and Lubbock are both caught in severe drought, and it is going to get much worse. We may see many such [dust] storms in the decades ahead, along with species extinctions, radical disturbance of ecosystems, and intensified social conflict over land and water. Welcome to the Anthropocene, the epoch when humans have become a major geological and climatic force."

  3. 8
    electrical or acoustic activity that can disturb communication wordnet
  4. 9
    A serious mental imbalance or illness. countable, uncountable
  5. 10
    a disorderly outburst or tumult wordnet
  6. 11
    (psychiatry) a psychological disorder of thought or emotion; a more neutral term than mental illness wordnet
  7. 12
    an unhappy and worried mental state wordnet

Etymology

From Middle English disturbaunce, from Old French destorbance, destourbance, from destourber (“disturb”), from Latin disturbō. By surface analysis, disturb + -ance.

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