Perturb — A Vocabulary Story
The Man Who Could Not Be Perturbed
Eva's grandad was the calmest man in Bristol. Possibly the world.
When a wasp landed on his jam sandwich at the park, he simply raised one eyebrow and said, "You may have half, but only half." The wasp did not perturb him one bit.
Perturb means to make someone feel worried or uneasy. It can also mean to disturb the normal state or order of something.
When next door's sprinkler soaked his newspaper, he wrung it out and kept reading the soggy sports pages. Not perturbed. Not even slightly damp in spirit.
Eva found this deeply suspicious. Surely everyone got flustered sometimes? So one rainy Saturday, she launched Operation Fluster.
First, she hid behind the sofa and leapt out roaring like a lion. Grandad glanced up from his crossword. "Ah, Eva. Seven letters, begins with G. Any thoughts?"
Next, she placed a rubber spider on his slipper. He picked it up, examined it carefully, and popped it on his head like a tiny hat. "Rather fetching," he said.
Eva flopped onto the carpet, defeated. "Nothing perturbs you, Grandad. Nothing!"
He smiled his slow, sleepy smile. "That's my secret weapon, love."
Then he wandered into the kitchen to make tea. There was a pause. A rattle. A gasp.
"EVA!" His voice wobbled like never before. "The tea caddy is EMPTY!"
Eva peered round the door. Grandad was clutching the tin to his chest, looking properly perturbed at last — pale, wide-eyed, tragic.
Eva reached into her pocket and held up one emergency tea bag.
"You," whispered Grandad, "are my favourite grandchild."
"I'm your only grandchild."
"Even so."
Word Definition
perturb
meaning
to make someone feel worried or uneasy; to disturb the normal state or order of something
synonyms
unsettle · disturb · worry · trouble · agitate
antonyms
calm · soothe · reassure
example sentence
The strange noise from the attic began to perturb her.