distract
1Distract — Dis*tract , v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Distracted}, old p. p. {Distraught}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Distracting}.] 1. To draw apart or away; to divide; to disjoin. [1913 Webster] A city . . . distracted from itself. Fuller. [1913 Webster] 2. To draw (the… …
2Distract — Dis*tract , a. [L. distractus, p. p. of distrahere to draw asunder; dis + trahere to draw. See {Trace}, and cf. {Distraught}.] 1. Separated; drawn asunder. [Obs.] [1913 Webster] 2. Insane; mad. [Obs.] Drayton. [1913 Webster] …
3distract — index bait (harass), confuse (bewilder), disorganize, disorient, disrupt, disturb, divert …
4distract — mid 14c., to draw asunder or apart, to turn aside (literal and figurative), from L. distractus, pp. of distrahere draw in different directions, from dis away (see DIS (Cf. dis )) + trahere to draw (see TRACT (Cf. tract) (1)). Sense of to throw… …
5distract — bewilder, nonplus, confound, dumbfound, mystify, perplex, *puzzle Analogous words: *confuse, muddle, addle, fuddle, befuddle: baffle, balk (see FRUSTRATE): agitate, upset, fluster, flurry, perturb, *discompose Antonyms: collect (one s thoughts,… …
6distract — [v] divert attention; confuse abstract, addle, agitate, amuse, befuddle, beguile, bewilder, call away, catch flies*, confound, derange, detract, discompose, disconcert, disturb, divert, draw away, engross, entertain, fluster, frenzy, harass, lead …
7distract — ► VERB 1) prevent (someone) from giving their full attention to something. 2) divert (attention) from something. DERIVATIVES distracted adjective distracting adjective. ORIGIN Latin distrahere draw apart …
8distract — [di strakt′] vt. [ME distracten < L distractus, pp. of distrahere, to draw apart < dis , apart + trahere, DRAW] 1. to draw (the mind, attention, etc.) away in another direction; divert 2. to draw in conflicting directions; create conflict… …
9distract */ — UK [dɪˈstrækt] / US verb [transitive] Word forms distract : present tense I/you/we/they distract he/she/it distracts present participle distracting past tense distracted past participle distracted to get someone s attention and prevent them from… …
10distract — detract, distract Both words are used transitively (with an object) followed by from; but their meanings are different. Detract, which (more than distract) is also used without an object, means ‘to take away (a part of something), to diminish’: • …
