Perturbation

Webster's Dictionary of the English Language

·noun The act of perturbing, or the state of being perturbed; ·esp., agitation of mind.

II. Perturbation ·noun A disturbance in the regular elliptic or other motion of a heavenly body, produced by some force additional to that which causes its regular motion; as, the perturbations of the planets are caused by their attraction on each other.