Draw someone's attention away from something:
— The thief distracted the bystanders.

synonym: deflect.

Roget 460: be negligent etc. adj.; take no care of etc. (take care of) etc. 459; neglect; let slip, let go; lay aside, set aside, cst aside, put aside; keep out of sight, put out of sight; lose sight of.    overlook, disregard; pass over, pas by; let pass; blink; wink at, connive at; gloss over; take no note of, take no thought of, take no account of, take no notice of; pay no regard to; laisser aller [Fr.].    scamp; trifle, fribble^†; do by halves; cut; slight etc. (despise) 930; play with, trifle with; slur, skim, skim the surface; effleurer [Fr.]; take a cursory view of etc. 457.    slur over, skip over, jump over, slip over; pretermit^†, miss, skip, jump, omit, give the go-by to, push aside, pigeonhole, shelve, sink; table [Parl.]; ignore, shut one's eyes to, refuse to hear, turn a deaf ear to; leave out of one's calculation; not attend to etc. 457, not mind; not trouble oneself about, not trouble one's head about, not trouble oneself with; forget etc. 506; be caught napping etc. (not expect) 508; leave a loose thread; let the grass grow under one's feet.    render neglectful etc. adj.; put off one's guard, throw off one's guard; distract, divert.    ... show more

Dutch: afleiden

Disturb in mind or make uneasy or cause to be worried or alarmed.

synonyms: cark, disorder, disquiet, perturb, trouble, unhinge.

Roget 824: excite, affect, touch, move, impress, strike, interest, animate, inspire, impassion, smite, infect; stir the blood, fire the blood, warm the blood; set astir; wake, awake, awaken; call forth; evoke, provoke; raise up, summon up, call up, wake up, blow up, get up, light up; raise; get up the steam, rouse, arouse, stir; fire, kindle, enkindle, apply the torch, set on fire, inflame.    stimulate; exsuscitate^†; inspirit; spirit up, stir up, work up, pique; infuse life into, give new life to; bring new blood, introduce new blood; quicken; sharpen, whet; work upon etc. (incite) 615; hurry on, give a fillip, put on one's mettle.    fan the fire, fan the flame; blow the coals, stir the embers; fan into a flame; foster, heat, warm, foment, raise to a fever heat; keep up, keep the pot boiling; revive, rekindle; rake up, rip up.    stir the feelings, play on the feelings, come home to the feelings; touch a string, touch a chord, touch the soul, touch the heart; go to one's heart, penetrate, pierce, go through one, touch to the quick; possess the soul, pervade the soul, penetrate the soul, imbrue the soul, absorb the soul, affect the soul, disturb the soul.    absorb, rivet the attention; sink into the mind, sink into the heart; prey on the mind, distract; intoxicate; overwhelm, overpower; bouleverser [Fr.], upset, turn one's head.    fascinate; enrapture etc. (give pleasure) 829.    agitate, perturb, ruffle, fluster, shake, disturb, startle, shock, stagger; give one a shock, give one a turn; strike all of a heap; stun, astound, electrify, galvanize, petrify.    irritate, sting; cut to the heart, cut to the quick; try one's temper; fool to the top of one's bent, pique; infuriate, madden, make one's blood boil; lash into fury etc. (wrath) 900.    be excited etc. adj.; flush up, flare up; catch the infection; thrill etc. (feel) 821; mantle; work oneself up; seethe, boil, simmer, foam, fume, flame, rage, rave; run mad etc. (passion) 825.    ... show more

Dutch: uit zijn evenwicht brengen