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Tangle vs Disturb - What's the difference?

tangle | disturb |

In lang=en terms the difference between tangle and disturb

is that tangle is to catch and hold while disturb is to have a negative emotional impact; to cause emotional distress or confusion.

As verbs the difference between tangle and disturb

is that tangle is to become mixed together or intertwined while disturb is to confuse a quiet, constant state or a calm, continuous flow, in particular: thoughts, actions or liquids.

As nouns the difference between tangle and disturb

is that tangle is a tangled twisted mass or tangle can be any large type of seaweed, especially a species of laminaria while disturb is (obsolete) disturbance.

tangle

English

(wikipedia tangle)

Etymology 1

Origin uncertain; apparently a variant form of (tagle).

Verb

(tangl)
  • to become mixed together or intertwined
    • Her hair was tangled from a day in the wind.
  • to be forced into some kind of situation
  • to enter into an argument, conflict, dispute, or fight
    • Don't tangle with someone three times your size.
    He tangled with the law.
  • to mix together or intertwine
  • to catch and hold
  • * Milton
    • Tangled in amorous nets.
  • * Crashaw
    • When my simple weakness strays, / Tangled in forbidden ways.
    Synonyms
    * (to become mixed together or intertwined) dishevel, tousle * (to be forced into some kind of situation) drag, drag in, embroil, sweep, sweep up * argue, conflict, dispute, fight * (to mix together or intertwine) entangle, knot, mat, snarl * (to catch and hold) entrap
    Antonyms
    * (to mix together or intertwine) untangle, unsnarl

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A tangled twisted mass.
  • A complicated or confused state or condition.
  • * {{quote-magazine, date=2013-08-03, volume=408, issue=8847, magazine=(The Economist)
    • , title= Boundary problems , passage=Economics is a messy discipline: too fluid to be a science, too rigorous to be an art. Perhaps it is fitting that economists’ most-used metric, gross domestic product (GDP), is a tangle too. GDP measures the total value of output in an economic territory. Its apparent simplicity explains why it is scrutinised down to tenths of a percentage point every month.}}
  • An argument, conflict, dispute, or fight.
  • (mathematics) A region of the projection of a knot such that the knot crosses its perimeter exactly four times.
    • Synonyms
    * (tangled twisted mass) knot, mess, snarl * (complicated or confused state or condition) maze, snarl * argument, conflict, dispute, fight

    Etymology 2

    Of Scandinavian origin; compare Norwegian tongul, Faroese tongul, Icelandic .

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • Any large type of seaweed, especially a species of Laminaria .
  • * 1849 , , In Memoriam , 10:
    • Than if with thee the roaring wells / Should gulf him fathom-deep in brine; / And hands so often clasped in mine, / Should toss with tangle and with shells.
  • (in the plural) An instrument consisting essentiallly of an iron bar to which are attached swabs, or bundles of frayed rope, or other similar substances, used to capture starfishes, sea urchins, and other similar creatures living at the bottom of the sea.

    • External links

    * * *

    Anagrams

    * English ergative verbs

    disturb

    English

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • to confuse a quiet, constant state or a calm, continuous flow, in particular: thoughts, actions or liquids.
    • The noisy ventilation disturbed me during the exam.
    The performance was disturbed twice by a ringing mobile phone.
    A school of fish disturbed the water.
  • to divert, redirect, or alter by disturbing.
    • A mudslide disturbed the course of the river.
    The trauma disturbed his mind.
  • * Milton
    • disturb his inmost counsels from their destined aim
  • to have a negative emotional impact; to cause emotional distress or confusion.
    • A disturbing film that tries to explore the mind of a serial killer.
    His behaviour is very disturbing .

    Derived terms

    * disturbance

    Noun

  • (obsolete) disturbance
    • (Milton)