disturb / bother / trouble这组词中,disturb的语气最强,常指较为强烈、持久的干扰,甚至可以指精神失常。如:The communications are being disturbed by the solar spots.(各种通讯正受到太阳黑子的严重干扰。)He is mentally disturbed.(他精神失常了。)此外多说一句,现在不会客,就用disturb这个词,“Don't disturb”。
bother可用于主动语态和被动语态,常表示较小的烦扰,作及物动词时,与about或with连用。如:She didn't bother me with the details.(她并没有拿细节问题来烦我。)
trouble的语气强于bother,弱于disturb。如:His failing grades troubled his parents deeply.(他不佳的成绩令父母深感忧烦。)
另外,还要说一下upset,这个词也有心烦意乱的意思,与disturb的用法主要区别在于:disturb比较正式,指较持久的心绪不宁,或指逐渐形成的越来越严重的不安,而upset是指心理突然暂时失去平衡,过一段时间即可恢复正常。如:She was growing more and more disturbed that she had not heard from him for a year.(一年没有得到他的音信,她越来越不安。)Losing the necklace upset her.(丢了项链使她心烦意乱。)