English verb: perturb | |||
1. | perturb (emotion) disturb in mind or make uneasy or cause to be worried or alarmed | ||
Samples | She was rather perturbed by the news that her father was seriously ill. | ||
Examples | The bad news will perturb him | ||
Synonyms | cark, disorder, disquiet, distract, trouble, unhinge | ||
Pattern of use | Somebody ----s somebody. Something ----s somebody | ||
Broader (hypernym) | disturb, trouble, upset | ||
Narrower (hyponym) | vex, worry | ||
2. | perturb (motion) disturb or interfere with the usual path of an electron or atom | ||
Samples | The electrons were perturbed by the passing ion. | ||
Pattern of use | Something ----s something | ||
Broader (hypernym) | deviate | ||
Verb group | perturb | ||
3. | perturb (motion) cause a celestial body to deviate from a theoretically regular orbital motion, especially as a result of interposed or extraordinary gravitational pull | ||
Samples | The orbits of these stars were perturbed by the passings of a comet. | ||
Pattern of use | Something ----s something | ||
Broader (hypernym) | deviate | ||
Verb group | perturb | ||
4. | perturb (change) throw into great confusion or disorder | ||
Samples | Fundamental Islamicists threaten to perturb the social order in Algeria and Egypt. | ||
Synonyms | derange, throw out of kilter | ||
Pattern of use | Somebody ----s something. Something ----s something | ||
Broader (hypernym) | disarray, disorder | ||