dis·turb·ance /dɪˈstɚbəns/ noun
plural dis·turb·anc·es 1 a : something that stops you from working, sleeping, etc. : the act of disturbing someone or something [count] ▪ She doesn't want any more disturbances while she is studying. ▪ She suffered from frequent sleep disturbances. [=disruptions] [noncount] ▪ He reacts badly to disturbance of his daily routine.
b : a change in the position, arrangement, or order of something [count] ▪ Fish are able to detect even slight disturbances in the water. [noncount] ▪ Disturbance of the river's sediment causes cloudy water. 2 : violent or noisy behavior especially in public [count] ▪ Neighbors called the police to report a disturbance. ▪ They were arrested for creating/causing a disturbance. [noncount] ▪ He was arrested for disturbance of the peace. [=behaving in a violent or noisy way in public] 3 : an unhealthy physical or mental condition in which something is not normal [count] ▪ heart rhythm disturbances ▪ visual/emotional/mental disturbances [noncount] ▪ The violence that soldiers experience in war can lead to emotional disturbance in later years.
b : a change in the position, arrangement, or order of something [count] ▪ Fish are able to detect even slight disturbances in the water. [noncount] ▪ Disturbance of the river's sediment causes cloudy water.
