3  definitions  found 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Distract  \Dis*tract"\,  a.  [L.  distractus  p.  p.  of  distrahere  to 
  draw  asunder;  dis-  +  trahere  to  draw.  See  {Trace},  and  cf 
  {Distraught}.] 
  1.  Separated;  drawn  asunder.  [Obs.] 
 
  2.  Insane;  mad.  [Obs.]  --Drayton. 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Distract  \Dis*tract"\,  v.  t.  [imp.  &  p.  p.  {Distracted},  old  p. 
  p.  {Distraught};  p.  pr  &  vb  n.  {Distracting}.] 
  1.  To  draw  apart  or  away  to  divide;  to  disjoin. 
 
  A  city  .  .  .  distracted  from  itself  --Fuller. 
 
  2.  To  draw  (the  sight,  mind,  or  attention)  in  different 
  directions;  to  perplex;  to  confuse;  as  to  distract  the 
  eye;  to  distract  the  attention. 
 
  Mixed  metaphors  .  .  .  distract  the  imagination. 
  --Goldsmith. 
 
  3.  To  agitate  by  conflicting  passions,  or  by  a  variety  of 
  motives  or  of  cares  to  confound;  to  harass. 
 
  Horror  and  doubt  distract  His  troubled  thoughts. 
  --Milton. 
 
  4.  To  unsettle  the  reason  of  to  render  insane;  to  craze;  to 
  madden;  --  most  frequently  used  in  the  participle, 
  distracted. 
 
  A  poor  mad  soul;  .  .  .  poverty  hath  distracted  her 
  --Shak. 
 
  From  WordNet  r  1.6  [wn]: 
 
  distract 
  v  1:  draw  someone's  attention  away  from  something  [syn:  {deflect}, 
  {draw  away}] 
  2:  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"  [syn:  {perturb},  {unhinge},  {disquiet}, 
  {trouble},  {cark},  {disorder}] 

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