Word family noun disturbance adjective disturbed ≠ undisturbed disturbing verb disturb adverb disturbingly
From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishdisturbancedis‧turb‧ance /dɪˈstɜːbəns $ -ɜːr-/ ●○○ noun 1 [countable, uncountable] formalFIGHT a situation in which people behave violently in public There were disturbances in the crowd as fans left the stadium.create/cause a disturbance army training on controlling civil disturbance2 [countable, uncountable]DISTURB something that interrupts what you are doing, or the act of making this happen We arrange the work so there’s as little disturbance as possible.disturbance to When a helicopter lands, it can cause a disturbance to local residents.3 [uncountable]MP a medical condition in which someone is mentally ill and does not behave normally a history of mental disturbanceCOLLOCATIONSverbscause/create a disturbanceSeveral people were arrested for creating a disturbance outside the embassy.quell a disturbance formal (=stop one)Extra police were called to quell the disturbances.a disturbance breaks out (=starts)A disturbance broke out between local youths and a group of sailors.adjectivesa violent disturbanceOver a hundred people were injured during violent disturbances in the capital.a serious disturbanceThere were serious disturbances in a number of British cities.a civil disturbance (=fighting between different groups of people in a country)Two men had already been killed in civil disturbances.a political disturbance (=about political ideas)Political disturbances followed the announcement.a racial disturbance (=between people of different races)Black people were still repressed and racial disturbances continued. Examples from the Corpus
disturbance• In New Orleans in May 1861, disturbances among the slave population were suppressed by the militia.• The center had been created after disturbances caused by the questionnaires.• The government is introducing special new measures to deal with prison riots and disturbances.• Israel was reported to be offering guidance to the army on controlling civil disturbances.• Henderson claims he was suffering from extreme emotional disturbance when he attacked the woman.• A sheriff's deputy went to investigate a family disturbance.• There were minor disturbances in Amman during the recent by-elections.• Those with well defined social support networks illustrate lower rates of psychological disturbance than their more isolated counterparts.• Hicks paused before ringing the bell; there was some disturbance of women inside.• Residents complained about the disturbance caused by the work on the roads.• Furthermore, the importance of predation can be seen as yet another element in the disturbance picture.• Few people were out around Snowdrop Street and Marsh Lane police station, the scene of the disturbances the night before.• There is a fast-moving weather disturbance passing through Utah.civil disturbance• He had chosen November 5 as a traditional day of civil disturbance.cause ... disturbance• Eight officers were sent to Tottenham after reports that a man was naked and causing a disturbance.• However, when a helicopter lands it can cause a disturbance to local residents.• If you throw them out it causes a disturbance.• This may cause disturbances in the basic organization.• In 1957, Paisley and Wylie were charged with causing a disturbance in Donaghadee by preaching through a loud hailer.• I should have realised that would cause a disturbance. 