derange Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. verb derange mentally, throw out of mental balance; make insane
    unbalance.
    • The death of his parents unbalanced him
  2. verb throw into great confusion or disorder
    throw out of kilter; perturb.
    • Fundamental Islamicists threaten to perturb the social order in Algeria and Egypt

WordNet

De*range" transitive verb
Etymology
F. déranger; pref. dé- = dés- (L. dis) + ranger to range. See Range, and cf. Disarrange, Disrank.
Wordforms
imperfect & past participle Deranged ; present participle & verbal noun Deranging
Definitions
  1. To put out of place, order, or rank; to disturb the proper arrangement or order of; to throw into disorder, confusion, or embarrassment; to disorder; to disarrange; as, to derange the plans of a commander, or the affairs of a nation.
  2. To disturb in action or function, as a part or organ, or the whole of a machine or organism.
    A sudden fall deranges some of our internal parts. Blair.
  3. To disturb in the orderly or normal action of the intellect; to render insane. Syn. -- To disorder; disarrange; displace; unsettle; disturb; confuse; discompose; ruffle; disconcert.

Webster 1913