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distract

 
Dictionary: dis·tract   (dĭ-străkt') pronunciation
 
tr.v., -tract·ed, -tract·ing, -tracts.
  1. To cause to turn away from the original focus of attention or interest; divert.
  2. To pull in conflicting emotional directions; unsettle.

[Middle English distracten, from Latin distrahere, distract-, to pull away : dis-, apart; see dis– + trahere, to draw.]

distractibility dis·tract'i·bil'i·ty n.
distractible dis·tract'i·ble adj.
distractingly dis·tract'ing·ly adv.
distractive dis·trac'tive adj.
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Thesaurus: distract
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verb

    To impair or destroy the composure of: agitate, bother, discompose, disquiet, disturb, flurry, fluster, perturb, rock, ruffle, shake (up), toss, unsettle, upset. Informal rattle. See calm/agitation.

 
Antonyms: distract
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v

Definition: divert attention; confuse
Antonyms: clarify, explain


 
Word Tutor: distract
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pronunciation

IN BRIEF: To have one's thought diverted to something else.

pronunciation She pointed out the butterflies to distract the baby from crying.

 
Translations: Distract
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Dansk (Danish)
v. tr. - distrahere, forvirre

Nederlands (Dutch)
afleiden, verwarren, afleiding bezorgen, irriteren

Français (French)
v. tr. - distraire l'attention de qn (de qch), empêcher de se concentrer, déranger

Deutsch (German)
v. - ablenken, verwirren, wahnsinnig machen

Ελληνική (Greek)
v. - περισπώ, αποσπώ/διασπώ την προσοχή, περιπλέκω, τρελαίνω, προκαλώ αμηχανία

Italiano (Italian)
distrarre

Português (Portuguese)
v. - distrair, estontear

Русский (Russian)
отвлекать, развлекать

Español (Spanish)
v. tr. - distraer, apartar, aturdir, confundir, entretener, divertir

Svenska (Swedish)
v. - dra bort, splittra, förvirra

中文(简体)(Chinese (Simplified))
转移, 使发狂, 分心

中文(繁體)(Chinese (Traditional))
v. tr. - 轉移, 使發狂, 分心

한국어 (Korean)
v. tr. - 다른 데로 돌리다, 괴롭히다

日本語 (Japanese)
v. - 散らす, そらす, 気晴らしさせる, 分裂させる, 悩ます, 混乱させる

العربيه (Arabic)
‏(فعل) يصرف الانتباه عن شئ, يلهي, يخبل‏

עברית (Hebrew)
v. tr. - ‮הסיח דעת, הפריע‬


 
 
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Dictionary. The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2007. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.  Read more
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