perturb

Verb

WordNet 3.0

Verb (4)

  1. 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
  2. disturb or interfere with the usual path of an electron or atom“The electrons were perturbed by the passing ion”
  3. 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”
  4. throw into great confusion or disorder“Fundamental Islamicists threaten to perturb the social order in Algeria and Egypt”Synonyms: derangethrow out of kilter
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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]

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