In 1511, leaders in Mecca believed coffee stimulated radical thinking and outlawed the drink. In 1524, the leaders overturned that order, and people could drink coffee again.
ACTIVATE
activate
(verb) make active or more active; “activate an old file”
activate
(verb) make (substances) radioactive
activate, aerate
(verb) aerate (sewage) so as to favor the growth of organisms that decompose organic matter
activate
(verb) make more adsorptive; “activate a metal”
trip, actuate, trigger, activate, set off, spark off, spark, trigger off, touch off
(verb) put in motion or move to act; “trigger a reaction”; “actuate the circuits”
Source: WordNet® 3.1
Etymology
Verb
activate (third-person singular simple present activates, present participle activating, simple past and past participle activated)
(transitive) To encourage development or induce increased activity; to stimulate.
(transitive) To put a device, mechanism (alarm etc.) or system into action or motion; to trigger, to actuate, to set off, to enable.
(transitive, chemistry, physics) To render more reactive; excite.
(transitive, biology) To render a molecule reactive, active, or effective in performing its function.
(transitive, physics) To render a substance radioactive.
(transitive, chemistry) To hasten a chemical reaction, especially by heating.
(transitive, computing, software) To remove the limitations of demoware by providing a license; to unlock.
(transitive) To aerate in order to aid decomposition of organic matter.
(transitive, military) To organize or create a military unit or station.
(transitive, sports) To bring a player back after an injury.
Synonyms
• actuate
• enable
• get going
• set going
• set in motion
• set off
• spur
• start
• stimulate
• trigger
• turn on
Antonyms
• deactivate
• inactivate
Anagrams
• cavitate
Source: Wiktionary
Ac"ti*vate, v. t.
Definition: To make active. [Obs.]
Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition
Recent Word Finds
Word of the Day
1 March 2025
AROMATIC
(adjective) (chemistry) of or relating to or containing one or more benzene rings; “an aromatic organic compound”
Coffee Trivia
