distracted, ppl. a.
(dɪˈstræktɪd)
[f. distract v. + ed1.]
† 1. Drawn apart, rent asunder; divided. Obs.
| 1598 Florio, Distratto, withdrawne, distracted, led away. 1600 J. Pory tr. Leo's Africa i. 2 Europe is of a more distracted and manifolde shape. 1601 Shakes. All's Well v. iii. 35 To the brightest beames Distracted clouds giue way. 1631 Gouge God's Arrows iii. §95. 365 Henry 7..married Elizabeth the heire of the house of Yorke, and therby united those two distracted houses. 1642 Fuller Holy & Prof. St. v. xv. 418 By putting together distracted syllables, and by piecing of broken sentences. |
2. Driven hither and thither; agitated, disturbed, ‘troubled’. Obs. exc. as fig. from senses 3–5.
| 1632 Lithgow Trav. x. 505 There is a certaine place of sea, where these destracted tydes make their rancountering Randevouze. 1725 Phil. Trans. XXXIII. 427 Hard Gales of southerly Winds, attended with violent Squalls of Rain, and a distracted Sea. a 1845 Hood Forge i. vi, Badly, madly, the vapours fly Over the dark distracted sky. |
3. Mentally drawn to different objects; perplexed or confused by conflicting interests; torn or disordered by dissension or the like.
| a 1633 Austin Medit. (1635) 87 Having (according to my weake facultie, and distracted Studies) set downe what I thought most..observable. 1799 F. Hervey Nav. Hist. II. 140 To settle the distracted affairs of that kingdom, Cromwell was appointed lord-lieutenant. 1821 Lamb Elia Ser. i. Grace bef. Meat, Savoury soup and messes..moistening the lips of the guests with desire and a distracted choice. |
4. Much confused or troubled in mind; having, or showing, great mental disturbance or perplexity.
| 1602 Shakes. Ham. i. v. 97 Remember thee? I..while memory holds a seate In this distracted Globe. 1607 ― Timon iii. iv. 115 You onely speake from your distracted soule. 1667 Dryden Ind. Emperor ii. ii, Where shall a Maid's distracted Heart find Rest? 1822 New Edin. Rev. No. 3. 109 He bent over her, chiefly to hide her distracted countenance. 1857 Buckle Civiliz. I. vi. 304 The minds of men were too distracted for so deliberate a plan. |
5. Deranged in mind; out of one's wits; crazed, mad, insane. Now rare in literal sense, exc. in such expressions as ‘like one distracted’.
| 1590 Shakes. Com. Err. v. i. 39 To fetch my poore distracted husband hence. 1657 Howell Londinop. 65 It [Bethlem] was an Hospital for distracted people. 1719 De Foe Crusoe (1840) II. v. 107 They ran about..like distracted men. 1728 Newton Chronol. Amended i. 142 Athamas..went distracted and slew his son. 1740 Gray Let. Poems (1775) 95 The latter died distracted. 1772 Sheridan in Sheridaniana (1826) 38, I was in short almost distracted. |