Definitions
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.
- transitive verb To arouse strong feeling in: synonym: provoke.
- transitive verb To arouse (someone) sexually.
- transitive verb To elicit or arouse (a reaction or emotion, for example).
- transitive verb To cause to become more active.
- transitive verb Physiology To produce increased activity or response in (an organ, tissue, or part); stimulate.
- transitive verb Physics To raise (an atom, for example) to a higher energy level.
from The Century Dictionary.
- To call into movement or active existence by some stimulating influence; quicken into manifestation; stir or start up; set in motion or operation: as, to
excite a mutiny; to excite hope or animosity. - To induce action or activity in; stimulate; animate; arouse.
- To impel by incentives or motives; instigate; incite: as, to
excite the people to revolt. - To arouse the emotions of; agitate or perturb mentally; move: as, he was greatly excited by the news.
- Synonyms To awaken, incite, inflame, kindle, irritate, provoke.
- In electric machinery, to send current through the magnetic field coils, and so produce the magnetism required for the operation of the machine.
from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.
- transitive verb To call to activity in any way; to rouse to feeling; to kindle to passionate emotion; to stir up to combined or general activity
- transitive verb (Physiol.) To call forth or increase the vital activity of an organism, or any of its parts.
- transitive verb (Elec.) To energize (an electro-magnet); to produce a magnetic field in.
- transitive verb (Physics) To raise to a higher energy level; -- used especially of atoms or molecules, or of electrons within atoms or molecules.
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
- verb transitive To
stir theemotions of. - verb transitive To
arouse or bring out (eg feelings); tostimulate . - verb transitive , (
physics ) Tocause anelectron to move to ahigher than normalstate ; topromote an electron to an outerlevel .
from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
- verb stimulate sexually
- verb act as a stimulant
- verb stir feelings in
- verb produce a magnetic field in
- verb arouse or elicit a feeling
- verb cause to be agitated, excited, or roused
- verb stir the feelings, emotions, or peace of
- verb raise to a higher energy level
Etymologies
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License
Support
Help support Wordnik (and make this page ad-free) by adopting the word excite.
Examples
-
The FBI indictments are to be unsealed today, which will once again excite the many people who likes to confuse the word “indictment” with “conviction.”
-
: The land of Gennezar, by the lake of Gennezareth, takes its name from a natural power which it is said to have of spontaneously modulating its waters so as to excite a breeze; the Greek words importing, ` creating for itself the breeze. '
Catena Aurea - Gospel of Matthew 1225?-1274 1842
-
I hope that microscopic researches may again excite the attention of philosophers, as unforeseen advantages may probably be derived from them, like the discovery of
Note I 1803
-
The country teems with "poets, poetasters, poetitos, and poetaccios:" every man has his recognised position in literature as accurately defined as though he had been reviewed in a century of magazines, -- the fine ear of this people [22] causing them to take the greatest pleasure in harmonious sounds and poetical expressions, whereas a false quantity or a prosaic phrase excite their violent indignation.
First Footsteps in East Africa Richard Francis Burton 1855
-
Video exciting 'to. long live eheads! p.s. part 2! part 2! kaka excite naman' to Eraserheads Reunion Tickets Go On Sale: It's About F@#$&** Time!
PhilMusic.com 2009
-
The difference is that you're the one claiming that we must "excite" the public, not me.
-
“poets, poetasters, poetitos, and poetaccios:” every man has his recognised position in literature as accurately defined as though he had been reviewed in a century of magazines, — the fine ear of this people22 causing them to take the greatest pleasure in harmonious sounds and poetical expressions, whereas a false quantity or a prosaic phrase excite their violent indignation.
-
I had hopes that he would continue to seek balance in his approach in order to neither "excite" nor "incite."
-
It's registered to Sony Pictures– its truly disgusting how Hollywood is using FEAR to get money and 'excite' horrify people into watching the movie.
Roland Emmerich's 2012 Viral - Institute for Human Continuity « FirstShowing.net 2008
-
"Maybe McCain DID have no choice but to proffer up an unqualified Fundie in order to 'excite' his Deep South Base."
How did Sarah Palin get picked for VP? Ann Althouse 2008
Comments
Log in or sign up to get involved in the conversation. It's quick and easy.