perturb

English

Etymology

From Middle English perturben, from Old French perturber, from Latin perturbare (“throw into confusion, confuse, disorder, disturb”), from per (“through”) + turbare (“to confuse, disturb”).

Pronunciation

• Audio (US)

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• Rhymes: -ɜː(r)b

Verb

perturb (third-person singular simple present perturbs, present participle perturbing, simple past and past participle perturbed)

1. To disturb; to bother or unsettle.
2. (physics) To slightly modify the motion of an object.
3. (astronomy) To modify the motion of a body by exerting a gravitational force.
4. (mathematics) To modify slightly, such as an equation or value.

Derived terms

• perturbation
• perturbative

Translations

to disturb; to bother or unsettle

• Norwegian: forurolige (no), vekke uro (no) m, gjøre forstyrret, skake (no) (opp), ryste (no)

(physics) to slightly modify the motion of an object

(astronomy) To modify the motion of a body by exerting a gravitational force

(math) To modify slightly, such as an equation or value

External links

• perturb in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913
• perturb in The Century Dictionary, The Century Co., New York, 1911
• perturb at OneLook Dictionary Search