dis·turb·ance /dɪˈstɜːbəns $ -ɜːr-/ ●○○ noun 1 [countableC, uncountableU] formalFIGHT a situation in which people behave violently in public 骚乱,骚动 There were disturbances in the crowd as fans left the stadium. 球迷离开体育场时,人群中发生了骚乱。
create/cause a disturbance 引起骚乱
army training on controlling civil disturbance 控制平民骚乱的军事训练
2 [countableC, uncountableU]DISTURB something that interrupts what you are doing, or the act of making this happen 打扰,干扰 We arrange the work so there’s as little disturbance as possible. 我们把工作安排得尽量不引起干扰。
disturbance to When a helicopter lands, it can cause a disturbance to local residents. 直升机降落会惊扰当地居民。
3 [uncountableU]MP a medical condition in which someone is mentally ill and does not behave normally 情绪困扰,精神失常 a history of mental disturbance 精神失常病史
n COLLOCATIONSverbscause/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.