agitate

views updated Jun 08 2018

ag·i·tate / ˈajiˌtāt/ • v. [tr.] make (someone) troubled or nervous. ∎  [intr.] campaign to arouse public concern about an issue in the hope of prompting action: they agitated for a reversal of the decision. ∎  stir or disturb (something, esp. a liquid) briskly.DERIVATIVES: ag·i·tat·ed·ly adv.

The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English

agitate

views updated May 23 2018

agitate XVI. f. pp. stem of L. agitāre move to and fro, frequent. of agere do (see AGENT, -ATE3); cf. (O)F. agiter.
So agitation XVI. — F. or L. agitator XVII.

The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology T. F. HOAD

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