distraction


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dis·trac·tion

 (dĭ-străk′shən)
n.
1. The act of distracting, or the condition of being distracted: Inexperienced drivers are especially vulnerable to distraction. His distraction of the child worked well, and the child stopped crying.
2. Something that makes it difficult to pay attention or that draws attention away from familiar or everyday concerns: was annoyed by the distractions of having so many roommates; found that the shopping mall was always full of pleasant distractions.
3. Mental or emotional disturbance; agitation or confusion: loved the puppy to distraction; was driven to distraction by the noisy neighbors.
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

distraction

(dɪˈstrækʃən)
n
1. the act or an instance of distracting or the state of being distracted
2. something that serves as a diversion or entertainment
3. an interruption; obstacle to concentration
4. (Psychology) mental turmoil or madness
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

dis•trac•tion

(dɪˈstræk ʃən)

n.
1. the act of distracting.
2. the state of being distracted.
3. mental distress or derangement.
4. a person or thing that prevents concentration.
5. something that amuses.
[1425–75; late Middle English (< Anglo-French) < Latin]
dis•trac′tive, adj.
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Noun1.distraction - mental turmoildistraction - mental turmoil; "he drives me to distraction"
confusedness, disarray, mental confusion, muddiness, confusion - a mental state characterized by a lack of clear and orderly thought and behavior; "a confusion of impressions"
2.distraction - an obstacle to attention
inattention - lack of attention
3.distraction - an entertainment that provokes pleased interest and distracts you from worries and vexationsdistraction - an entertainment that provokes pleased interest and distracts you from worries and vexations
entertainment, amusement - an activity that is diverting and that holds the attention
4.distraction - the act of distractingdistraction - the act of distracting; drawing someone's attention away from something; "conjurers are experts at misdirection"
revision, alteration - the act of revising or altering (involving reconsideration and modification); "it would require a drastic revision of his opinion"
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.

distraction

noun
1. disturbance, interference, diversion, interruption Total concentration is required with no distractions.
2. entertainment, recreation, amusement, diversion, pastime, divertissement, beguilement every conceivable distraction from shows to bouncy castles
3. frenzy, madness, desperation, hysteria, mania, insanity, delirium, derangement A very clingy child can drive a parent to distraction.
Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

distraction

noun
Something, especially a performance or show, designed to entertain:
The American Heritage® Roget's Thesaurus. Copyright © 2013, 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Translations
تَلْهِيَه، إلْهاءقَلَق، خَبَل، إضطِراب
rozptýlenírozrušení
det at være drevet til vanvidforstyrrelsesindsforvirring
zaklatottságzavaró tényezõ
hugarangist, uppnámtruflun
rušivý moment
motnjarazvedrilo
dikkati dağıtan şeyşaşkınlık

distraction

[dɪsˈtrækʃən] N
1. (= interruption) → distracción f
2. (= entertainment) → diversión f
3. (= distress, anxiety) → aturdimiento m
to drive sb to distractionvolver loco a algn
Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

distraction

[dɪˈstrækʃən] n
(from concentration)distraction f, dérangement m
to be a distraction from sth → détourner l'attention de qch
(= entertainment) → divertissement m
(= madness) to drive sb to distraction → rendre qn fou(folle)
Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

distraction

n
no pl (= lack of attention)Unaufmerksamkeit f
(= interruption: from work etc) → Ablenkung f
(= entertainment)Zerstreuung f
(= anxiety)Ruhelosigkeit f, → Unruhe f; (= distraught state)Verstörung f; to love somebody to distractionjdn wahnsinnig lieben; to drive somebody to distractionjdn zum Wahnsinn or zur Verzweiflung treiben
Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

distraction

[dɪsˈtrækʃn] n
a. (interruption) → distrazione f; (entertainment) → distrazione, diversivo
b. (distress, madness) to drive sb to distractionfar impazzire qn
Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995

distract

(diˈstrӕkt) verb
to draw aside (the mind or attention of). He was constantly being distracted from his work by the noisy conversation of his colleagues.
diˈstracted adjective
1. turned aside (from what one is doing or thinking). He had slipped out while her attention was distracted.
2. out of one's mind; mad. a distracted old woman.
3. distressed. The distracted mother couldn't reach her child in the burning house.
diˈstraction (-ʃən) noun
1. something that takes the mind off other especially more serious affairs. There are too many distractions here to allow one to work properly.
2. anxiety and confusion. in a state of complete distraction.
Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary © 2006-2013 K Dictionaries Ltd.

dis·trac·tion

n. distracción.
1. inhabilidad para concentrarse en una experiencia determinada;
2. separación de articulaciones sin dislocación.
English-Spanish Medical Dictionary © Farlex 2012
References in classic literature ?
You are not only driving me to distraction but also ruining yourself with this eternal solicitude for your reputation.
On the contrary, he needed occupation and distraction quite apart from his love, so as to recruit and rest himself from the violent emotions that agitated him.
"Distraction! And so you play at this sort of thing.
This is the day you have set apart to devote to this object, and perhaps in fulfilling this duty you may find some distraction from the melancholy to which, as I see to my sorrow, you are a prey."
"And, indeed, I am not sorry to quit Paris; I had need of distraction."
Diana and Venus, no doubt, abused the beautiful Alcmena and poor Io, when they condescended, for distraction's sake, to speak, amidst nectar and ambrosia, of mortal beauties, at the table of Jupiter.
"How could you," cries Jones, "mention two words sufficient to drive me to distraction?"--"Either of them are enough to drive any man to distraction," answered the old man.
The latter's distraction at his bereavement is a subject too painful to be dwelt on; its after-effects showed how deep the sorrow sunk.
It is true there be some affairs, which require extreme secrecy, which will hardly go beyond one or two persons, besides the king: neither are those counsels unprosperous; for, besides the secrecy, they conunonly go on constantly, in one spirit of direction, without distraction. But then it must be a prudent king, such as is able to grind with a handmill; and those inward counsellors had need also be wise men, and especially true and trusty to the king's ends; as it was with King Henry the Seventh of England, who, in his great business, imparted himself to none, except it were to Morton and Fox.
"Ah, my love," answered Anna Mikhaylovna, "God grant you never know what it is to be left a widow without means and with a son you love to distraction! One learns many things then," she added with a certain pride.
These distractions and distresses about the time have worried me so much that I was afraid my mind was so much affected that I never would have any appreciation of time again; but when I noticed how handy I was yet about comprehending when it was dinner-time, a blessed tranquillity settled down upon me, and I am tortured with doubts and fears no more.
It is impossible to read the history of the petty republics of Greece and Italy without feeling sensations of horror and disgust at the distractions with which they were continually agitated, and at the rapid succession of revolutions by which they were kept in a state of perpetual vibration between the extremes of tyranny and anarchy.