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agitate. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word
agitate, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say
agitate in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word
agitate you have here. The definition of the word
agitate will help you to be more precise and correct when speaking or writing your texts. Knowing the definition of
agitate, as well as those of other words, enriches your vocabulary and provides you with more and better linguistic resources.
English
Etymology
From Middle English, from Latin agitatus, past participle of agitare (“to put in motion”), from agere (“to move”). Compare with French agiter. See act, agent.
Pronunciation
Verb
agitate (third-person singular simple present agitates, present participle agitating, simple past and past participle agitated)
- (transitive) To disturb or excite; to perturb or stir up (a person).
He was greatly agitated by the news.
- (transitive) To cause to move with a violent, irregular action; to shake.
the wind agitates the sea
to agitate water in a vessel
1830, Edward Bulwer-Lytton, Paul Clifford:It was a dark and stormy night; the rain fell in torrents — except at occasional intervals, when it was checked by a violent gust of wind which swept up the streets (for it is in London that our scene lies), rattling along the housetops, and fiercely agitating the scanty flame of the lamps that struggled against the darkness.
- To participate in political agitation (sense 3).
1981 August 1, Mitzel, “NAMBLA Says National Crackdown Starting”, in Gay Community News, page 3:NAMBLA is working to build a coalition of gay, lesbian, progressive and civil liberties groups to agitate against the increasing state attacks on gay men who associate with boys.
- (transitive, obsolete) To set in motion; to actuate.
- (transitive, now rare) To discuss or debate.
- (transitive, now rare) To mull over, or think deeply about; to consider, to devise.
politicians agitate desperate designs
Synonyms
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Antonyms
Derived terms
Related terms
Translations
to move with a violent, irregular action
to stir up, to disturb or excite
- Bulgarian: вълнувам (bg) (vǎlnuvam), възбуждам (bg) (vǎzbuždam)
- Finnish: ravistella (fi)
- German: aufwiegeln (de), aufregen (de), aufrühren (de), erregen (de), durcheinander bringen, aus der Fassung bringen
- Greek:
- Ancient: ταράσσω (tarássō), ἀνασείω (anaseíō)
- Italian: agitare (it), turbare (it)
- Japanese: 煽る (ja) (aoru), 扇動する (ja) (sendō suru)
- Latin: turbō (la)
- Maori: whakaoioi, oi
- Persian: آشفتن (fa), پریشان کردن (fa)
- Portuguese: agitar (pt)
- Romanian: agita (ro)
- Spanish: perturbar (es)
- Swedish: uppröra (sv)
- Tocharian B: wālts-
- Turkish: sarsmak (tr)
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to discuss with great earnestness; to debate
to revolve in the mind, or view in all its aspects
Translations to be checked
Further reading
- “agitate”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC.
- “agitate”, in The Century Dictionary , New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911, →OCLC.
- “agitate”, in OneLook Dictionary Search.
Esperanto
Pronunciation
Adverb
agitate
- present adverbial passive participle of agiti
Ido
Verb
agitate
- adverbial present passive participle of agitar
Italian
Adjective
agitate f
- feminine plural of agitato
Anagrams
Latin
Verb
agitāte
- second-person plural present active imperative of agitō
Scots
Etymology
From Middle English, from Latin agitatus. Cognate with English agitate.
Pronunciation
Verb
agitate (third-person singular simple present agitates, present participle agitatin, simple past agitatit, past participle agitate)
- to agitate
References
- “agitate” in Eagle, Andy, editor, The Online Scots Dictionary, 2016.
Spanish
Verb
agitate
- second-person singular voseo imperative of agitar combined with te