disturbance
noun /dɪˈstɜːbəns/
/dɪˈstɜːrbəns/
- [uncountable, countable, usually singular] actions that make you stop what you are doing, or that upset the normal state that something is in; the act of disturbing somebody/something or the fact of being disturbed
- The building work is creating constant noise, dust and disturbance.
- Their arrival had caused a disturbance in the usual pattern of events.
- One problem is the disturbance of the local wildlife by tourists.
Extra Examples- Buildings should create minimum disturbance to the environment.
- Fish can sense disturbances in the water.
- Police had been called to a domestic disturbance.
- She moved the nest very carefully to prevent disturbance to the birds.
- The government advocated strong action against Mussolini's disturbance of the peace.
- The traffic causes serious disturbance to residents.
- a place where you can work without disturbance
- an unacceptable level of disturbance to occupiers of adjacent properties
- disturbance from noisy lorries
- environmental disturbances caused by roads and traffic
- the disturbance of marine life caused by oil spillages
- His changes to the team are meant to cause as little disturbance as possible.
- The repairs have been carried out with minimal disturbance to local residents.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- great
- major
- serious
- …
- level
- cause
- create
- make
- …
- without disturbance
- disturbance from
- disturbance of
- …
- [countable, uncountable] a situation in which people behave violently in a public place
- News of the arrests provoked serious disturbances in the streets.
- He was charged with causing a disturbance after the game.
- The army is trained to deal with riots and civil disturbance.
Extra Examples- An influx of refugees has triggered disturbances in the city.
- He was arrested and charged with causing a disturbance in a public place.
- Large numbers of workers involved in the disturbances have been arrested.
- Several people were injured during a disturbance in the capital city.
- The decision led to serious disturbances in all the country's main cities.
- There had been violent disturbances among the prisoners.
- Troops were brought in to put down the disturbance.
- disturbances between members of two rival factions
- disturbances involving members of a crowd of 550 demonstrators
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- serious
- violent
- public
- …
- cause
- give rise to
- lead to
- …
- occur
- involve somebody
- during a/the disturbance
- in a/the disturbance
- disturbance among
- …
- a disturbance of the peace
- [uncountable, countable] a state in which somebody’s mind or a function of the body is upset and not working normally
- emotional disturbance
Extra Examples- Many patients reported sleep disturbances after taking the drug.
- a disturbance in liver function
- behavioural disturbances in children
- teenagers suffering from a kind of psychological disturbance
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- serious
- severe
- behavioural/behavioral
- …
- experience
- have
- suffer from
- …
- disturbance in
Word OriginMiddle English: from Old French destourbance, from destourber, from Latin disturbare, from dis- ‘utterly’ + turbare ‘disturb’.