different between actuate vs excite

English

Etymology

From Medieval Latin ?ctu?tus, perfect passive participle of ?ctu? (“actuate, implement”), from Latin ?ctus, perfect passive participle of ag? (“do, act”).

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /?ækt?u.e?t/, /?æktju.e?t/
• (US) IPA^(key): /?ækt?u.e?t/

Verb

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

1. (transitive) To activate, or to put into motion; to animate.
   • November 6, 1750, Samuel Johnson, The Rambler No. 67

     Wings, which others were contriving to actuate by the perpetual motion.
2. (transitive) To incite to action; to motivate.
   • 1748, David Hume, Enquiries concerning the human understanding and concerning the principles of moral, 2. ed., London, Oxford University Press, 1973. § 11.

     A man in a fit of anger, is actuated in a very different manner from one who only thinks of that emotion.

   • Men of the greatest abilities are most fired with ambition; and, on the contrary, mean and narrow minds are the least actuated by it.

Derived terms

• actuator

Related terms

• actuation

Translations

See also

• actualise, actualize

Latin

Verb

?ctu?te

1. second-person plural present active imperative of ?ctu?

English

Etymology

From Middle English exciten, from Old French exciter, from Latin excitare (“call out, call forth, arouse, wake up, stimulate”), frequentative of exciere (“call out, arouse excite”), from ex (“out”) + ciere (“call, summon”). See cite and compare to accite, concite, incite.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?k?sa?t/
• Rhymes: -a?t
• Hyphenation: ex?cite

Verb

excite (third-person singular simple present excites, present participle exciting, simple past and past participle excited)

1. (transitive) To stir the emotions of.

2. (transitive) To arouse or bring out (e.g. feelings); to stimulate.
3. (transitive, physics) To cause an electron to move to a higher than normal state; to promote an electron to an outer level.

4. To energize (an electromagnet); to produce a magnetic field in.

Antonyms

• relax, calm

Related terms

• excitement
• excitation

Translations

Further reading

• excite in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.
• excite in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.

French

Verb

excite

1. first-person singular present indicative of exciter
2. third-person singular present indicative of exciter
3. first-person singular present subjunctive of exciter
4. third-person singular present subjunctive of exciter
5. second-person singular imperative of exciter

Latin

Verb

exc?te

1. second-person plural present active imperative of exci?

Portuguese

Verb

excite

1. First-person singular (eu) present subjunctive of excitar
2. Third-person singular (ele, ela, also used with tu and você^?) present subjunctive of excitar
3. Third-person singular (você) affirmative imperative of excitar
4. Third-person singular (você) negative imperative of excitar

Romanian

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [eks?t??ite]

Verb

excite

1. third-person singular present subjunctive of excita
2. third-person plural present subjunctive of excita

Spanish

Verb

excite

1. Formal second-person singular (usted) imperative form of excitar.
2. First-person singular (yo) present subjunctive form of excitar.
3. Formal second-person singular (usted) present subjunctive form of excitar.
4. Third-person singular (él, ella, also used with usted^?) present subjunctive form of excitar.