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perturb |
2 definitions found From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]: 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. Ye that . . . perturb so my feast with crying. --Chaucer. 2. To disorder; to confuse. [R.] --Sir T. Browne. From WordNet r 1.6 [wn]: perturb v 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" [syn: {unhinge}, {disquiet}, {trouble}, {cark}, {distract}, {disorder}] 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, esp. 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 theaten to perturb the social order in Algeria and Egypt" [syn: {derange}, {throw out of kilter}]
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