excite (ɪkˈsaɪt
)
Definitions
verb (tr)
- to arouse (a person) to strong feeling, esp to pleasurable anticipation or nervous agitation
- to arouse or elicit (an emotion, response, etc); evoke ⇒
her answers excited curiosity
- to cause or bring about; stir up ⇒
to excite a rebellion
- to arouse sexually
- physiology to cause a response in or increase the activity of (an organ, tissue, or part); stimulate
- to raise (an atom, molecule, electron, nucleus, etc) from the ground state to a higher energy level
- to supply electricity to (the coils of a generator or motor) in order to create a magnetic field
- to supply a signal to a stage of an active electronic circuit
Word Origin
C14: from Latin excitāre, from exciēre to stimulate, from ciēre to set in motion, rouse
Synonyms
View thesaurus entry
=
thrill,
inspire,
stir,
stimulate,
provoke,
awaken,
animate,
move,
fire,
rouse,
exhilarate,
agitate,
quicken,
inflame,
enliven,
galvanize,
foment,
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arouse,
stimulate,
provoke,
evoke,
rouse,
stir up,
fire,
elicit,
work up,
incite,
instigate,
whet,
kindle,
waken,
