to distract sb's attention
1distract (someone's) attention from something — distract (someone’s) attention from something phrase to do something in order to stop someone from paying attention to something They tried to distract attention from the crisis. Thesaurus: to make someone unable to concentrate or think… …
2attention — 1 Attention, study, concentration, application can mean the direct focusing of the mind on something, especially on something to be learned, worked out, or dealt with. Attention is applicable to the faculty or power as well as to the act {noises… …
3distract — [v] divert attention; confuse abstract, addle, agitate, amuse, befuddle, beguile, bewilder, call away, catch flies*, confound, derange, detract, discompose, disconcert, disturb, divert, draw away, engross, entertain, fluster, frenzy, harass, lead …
4distract */ — UK [dɪˈstrækt] / US verb [transitive] Word forms distract : present tense I/you/we/they distract he/she/it distracts present participle distracting past tense distracted past participle distracted to get someone s attention and prevent them from… …
5distract — dis|tract [ dı strækt ] verb transitive * to get someone s attention and prevent them from concentrating on something: She was distracted by the sound of running water. distract someone from something: We must let nothing distract us from our… …
6distract — verb (T) to make someone who is working, studying etc unable to continue what they are doing by making them look at or listen to something else: Try not to distract the other students. | distract sb from: Meg was distracted from her work by the… …
7Distract — 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… …
8distract — ► VERB 1) prevent (someone) from giving their full attention to something. 2) divert (attention) from something. DERIVATIVES distracted adjective distracting adjective. ORIGIN Latin distrahere draw apart …
9distract — [di strakt′] vt. [ME distracten < L distractus, pp. of distrahere, to draw apart < dis , apart + trahere, DRAW] 1. to draw (the mind, attention, etc.) away in another direction; divert 2. to draw in conflicting directions; create conflict… …
10distract — detract, distract Both words are used transitively (with an object) followed by from; but their meanings are different. Detract, which (more than distract) is also used without an object, means ‘to take away (a part of something), to diminish’: • …