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# disturbance

noun (a disturbance, disturbances; disturbance — uncountable)

«disturbance» in the English dictionary: everyday — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. Something that interrupts you or stops you resting or working, like a noise. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/disturbance/#m1)
2. Trouble or fighting in a public place: The police were called to a disturbance. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/disturbance/#m2)
3. A change or upset in something that was calm or normal: a disturbance in the weather; a sleep disturbance. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/disturbance/#m3)

### In the lessons

In stories and news a «disturbance» is noise or trouble; in science a weather disturbance can grow into a storm; in safety lessons you report a disturbance to an adult. Phrases: «cause a disturbance», «a disturbance in the night», «sorry for the disturbance».

### Examples

- Sorry for the disturbance, but can I borrow a pen? [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/disturbance/#x1)
- The barking dog caused a disturbance at night. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/disturbance/#x2)
- Police were called to a disturbance outside the shop. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/disturbance/#x3)
- Building work is a big disturbance for the neighbours. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/disturbance/#x4)
- Forecasters watched a tropical disturbance over the sea. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/disturbance/#x5)
- We worked in silence without any disturbance. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/disturbance/#x6)
- From words they came to blows, and the women, frightened at the disturbance, pelted Tephany with insulting names. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/disturbance/#x7)

### Note

From the verb «disturb». Spelled -ance, not -ence. Countable (a disturbance) or uncountable (without disturbance). Formal; in casual talk people say «a noise» or «trouble».

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «disturbance» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/disturbance/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«disturbance» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/disturbance.html) on Mova free.