ACTUATE

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”

motivate, actuate, propel, move, prompt, incite

(verb) give an incentive for action; “This moved me to sacrifice my career”

Source: WordNet® 3.1


Etymology

Verb

actuate (third-person singular simple present actuates, present participle actuating, simple past and past participle actuated)

(transitive) To activate, or to put into motion; to animate.

(transitive) To incite to action; to motivate.

Source: Wiktionary


Ac"tu*ate, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Actuated; p. pr. & vb. n. Actuating.] Etym: [LL. actuatus, p. p. of actuare, fr. L. actus act.]

1. To put into action or motion; to move or incite to action; to influence actively; to move as motives do; -- more commonly used of persons. Wings, which others were contriving to actuate by the perpetual motion. Johnson. Men of the greatest abilities are most fired with ambition; and, on the contrary, mean and narrow minds are the least actuated by it. Addison.

2. To carry out in practice; to perform. [Obs.] "To actuate what you command." Jer. Taylor.

Syn.

– To move; impel; incite; rouse; instigate; animate.

Ac"tu*ate, a. Etym: [LL. actuatus, p. p. of actuare.]

Definition: Put in action; actuated. [Obs.] South.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition



RESET




Word of the Day

23 January 2025

LEFT

(adjective) being or located on or directed toward the side of the body to the west when facing north; “my left hand”; “left center field”; “the left bank of a river is bank on your left side when you are facing downstream”


coffee icon

Coffee Trivia

According to WorldAtlas, Finland is the biggest coffee consumer in the entire world. The average Finn will consume 12 kg of coffee each year.

coffee icon