distract definition - Dictionary

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dis·tract [ di strákt ] (past and past participle dis·tract·ed, present participle dis·tract·ing, 3rd person present singular dis·tracts)

transitive verb

Definition:

1. catch somebody's attention: to take somebody's attention away from what he or she is doing or thinking or from what is happening

2. amuse somebody: to amuse or entertain somebody, especially as a means of taking his or her mind off something unpleasant

3. make somebody uneasy: to unsettle somebody's mind with disturbing, confusing, or conflicting emotions ( archaic )

[14th century. < Latin distract-, past participle of distrahere "draw away" < trahere "draw, drag"]

dis·tract·i·bil·i·ty [ di stràktə bíllətee ] noun

dis·tract·i·ble [ di stráktəb'l ] adjective

dis·trac·tive [ di stráktiv ] adjective