disturb

Meanings

1. 1
   verb

   To interrupt someone and stop them from working, resting, or sleeping.

   Please do not disturb me while I am on the phone.

2. 2
   verb

   To worry or upset someone.

   The violent scenes in the film disturbed many viewers.

3. 3
   verb

   To move something or change the way it is arranged.

   Try not to disturb the papers on my desk.

From Middle English destourben, from Anglo-Norman distourber and Old French destorber, from Latin disturbare, intensifying for turbare (“to throw into disorder”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *(s)twerH-, *(s)turH- (“to rotate, swirl, twirl, move around”).

Topics