i Register
In some senses, distract is marked as obsolete. Watch for register when choosing this word.
distract
/dɪˈstɹækt/
verb 3adj 2
Collocations
3(verb.)
ADV
easily
The children were easily distracted during the lesson whenever a bird flew past the window.
momentarily
The teacher was momentarily distracted by a student raising their hand during the test.
PREP
(away) from
The magician used tricks to distract the audience away from how the illusion actually worked.
Definitions
verb
1
To divert the attention of.
The crowd was distracted by a helicopter hovering over the stadium when the only goal of the game was scored.
While Gunners boss Arsene Wenger had warned his players against letting the pre-match festivities distract them from the task at hand, they clearly struggled for fluency early on.
2
To divert (attention).
It is recorded in the Talmud that there was no water organ [...] at the Temple, because of its sweet and powerful voice which was able to distract attention from the traditional instruments.
3
To make crazy or insane; to drive to distraction.
By Heav’ns, ſuch Virtues, join’d with ſuch Succeſs, Diſtract my very Soul: Our Father’s Fortune Wou’d almoſt tempt us to renounce his Precepts.
adj
1
Drawn asunder; separated.
2
Insane, mad.
Ol[ivia]. […] Fetch Maluolio hither, / And yet alas, novv I remember me, / They ſay poore Gentleman, he's much diſtract. […] Did he vvrite this? / Clo[wn]. I [aye] Madame. / Du[ke Orsino]. This ſauours not much of diſtraction.
Alone ſhee beeing left the ſpoyle of loue and death, / In labour of her griefe outrageouſly diſtract, / The utmoſt of her ſpleene on her falſe Lord to act […]
Thesaurus
Idioms & Phrases
Example Bank
601
The crowd was distracted by a helicopter hovering over the stadium when the only goal of the game was scored.
Wiktionary02
While Gunners boss Arsene Wenger had warned his players against letting the pre-match festivities distract them from the task at hand, they clearly struggled for fluency early on.
Wiktionary03
Even without hovering drones, a lurking assassin, a thumping score and a denouement, the real-life story of Edward Snowden, a rogue spy on the run, could be straight out of the cinema. But, as with Ho
Wiktionary04
Ol[ivia]. […] Fetch Maluolio hither, / And yet alas, novv I remember me, / They ſay poore Gentleman, he's much diſtract. […] Did he vvrite this? / Clo[wn]. I [aye] Madame. / Du[ke Orsino]. This ſauour
Wiktionary05
Alone ſhee beeing left the ſpoyle of loue and death, / In labour of her griefe outrageouſly diſtract, / The utmoſt of her ſpleene on her falſe Lord to act […]
Wiktionary06
Please don't distract me from my work.
Tatoeba · #245355Usage Notes
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