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

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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

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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

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