'Distract' definitions:
Definition of 'distract'
From: WordNet
verb
Draw someone's attention away from something; "The thief distracted the bystanders"; "He deflected his competitors" [syn: distract, deflect]
verb
Definition of 'Distract'
From: GCIDE
- Distract \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]
Definition of 'Distract'
From: GCIDE
- Distract \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 sight, mind, or attention) in different directions; to perplex; to confuse; as, to distract the eye; to distract the attention. [1913 Webster]
- Mixed metaphors . . . distract the imagination. --Goldsmith. [1913 Webster]
- 3. To agitate by conflicting passions, or by a variety of motives or of cares; to confound; to harass. [1913 Webster]
- Horror and doubt distract His troubled thoughts. --Milton. [1913 Webster]
- 4. To unsettle the reason of; to render insane; to craze; to madden; -- most frequently used in the participle, distracted. [1913 Webster]
- A poor mad soul; . . . poverty hath distracted her. --Shak. [1913 Webster]
Synonyms of 'distract'
From: Moby Thesaurus
- absorb,
- addle,
- agitate,
- amuse,
- ball up,
- befuddle,
- beguile,
- bemuse,
- bewilder,
- blunt,
- bother,
- bug,
- call away,
- chill,
- confound,
- confuse,
- convulse,
- cool,
- craze,
- damp,
- dampen,
- daze,
- deflect,
- delight,
- dement,
- derange,
- deter,
- detract,
- detract attention,
- disaffect,
- discompose,
- disconcert,
- discourage,
- disincline,
- disinterest,
- disturb,
- divert,
- divert the mind,
- drive insane,
- drive mad,
- embroil,
- engross,
- entertain,
- fluster,
- frenzy,
- fuddle,
- gratify,
- indispose,
- interest,
- mad,
- madden,
- make mad,
- mix up,
- mystify,
- occupy,
- perplex,
- perturb,
- psych,
- put off,
- puzzle,
- quench,
- rattle,
- repel,
- send mad,
- shatter,
- sidetrack,
- spook,
- throw,
- throw into confusion,
- throw off,
- trouble,
- turn aside,
- turn away,
- turn from,
- turn off,
- unbalance,
- unhinge,
- unsettle,
- upset,
- wean from