throw into great confusion or disorder; disturb in mind or make uneasy or cause to be worried or alarmed; "She was rather perturbed by the news that her father was seriously ill"
cause a celestial body to deviate from a theoretically regular orbital motion, especially as a result of interposed or extraordinary gravitational pull; "The orbits of these stars were perturbed by the passings of a comet"
If someone is perturbed by something, they are worried by it. He apparently was not perturbed by the prospect of a policeman coming to call = alarmed. worried about something that has happened or will happen (perturber, from perturbare)