perturb
VerbWordNet 3.0
Verb (4)
- disturb in mind or make uneasy or cause to be worried or alarmed“She was rather perturbed by the news that her father was seriously ill”Synonyms: unhingedisquiettroublecarkdistractdisorder
- disturb or interfere with the usual path of an electron or atom“The electrons were perturbed by the passing ion”
- cause a celestial body to deviate from a theoretically regular orbital motion, especially as a result of interposed or extraordinary gravitational pull“The orbits of these stars were perturbed by the passings of a comet”
- throw into great confusion or disorder“Fundamental Islamicists threaten to perturb the social order in Algeria and Egypt”Synonyms: derangethrow out of kilter
Webster's Dictionary (GCIDE)
Perturb \Per*turb"\, v. t. [L. perturbare, perturbatum; per + turbare to disturb, fr. turba a disorder: cf. OF. perturber. See Per-, and Turbid.]
1.To disturb; to agitate; to vex; to trouble; to disquiet. [1913 Webster]
Ye that . . . perturb so my feast with crying.— Chaucer.[1913 Webster]
2.To disorder; to confuse. [R.] --Sir T. Browne. [1913 Webster]