different between actuate vs occasion

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

Borrowed from Middle French occasion, from Old French occasiun, from Latin occasionem (accusative of occasio), noun of action from perfect passive participle occasus, from verb occido, from prefix ob- (“down", "away”) + verb cado (“fall”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /??ke???n/
• Rhymes: -e???n
• Hyphenation: oc?ca?sion

Noun

occasion (countable and uncountable, plural occasions)

1. A favorable opportunity; a convenient or timely chance. [from 14th c.]
   • 1690, Edmund Waller, The Maids Tragedy Alter'd

     I'll take the occasion which he gives to bring / Him to his death.
2. The time when something happens.

3. An occurrence or state of affairs which causes some event or reaction; a motive or reason. [from 14th c.]

4. Something which causes something else; a cause. [from 14th c.]
   • 1624, John Smith, Generall Historie, in Kupperman 1988, p. 130:

     it were too vile to say, and scarce to be beleeved, what we endured: but the occasion was our owne, for want of providence, industrie and government [...].

5. (obsolete) An occurrence or incident. [14th-18th c.]
6. A particular happening; an instance or time when something occurred. [from 15th c.]
7. Need; requirement, necessity. [from 16th c.]
   • 1650, Jeremy Taylor, The Rule and Exercises of Holy Living

     after we have served ourselves and our own occasions

   • 1790, Edmund Burke, Reflections on the Revolution in France

     when my occasions took me into France

8. A special event or function. [from 19th c.]

9. A reason or excuse; a motive; a persuasion.

Derived terms

• occasional
• on occasion
• rise to the occasion

Translations

Verb

occasion (third-person singular simple present occasions, present participle occasioning, simple past and past participle occasioned)

1. (transitive) To cause; to produce; to induce

   it is seen that the mental changes are occasioned by a change of polarity

Translations

French

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin occ?si?nem (accusative of occ?si?). Compare the inherited Old French ochoison, achaison (the latter being influenced by Latin acc?s?ti?).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?.ka.zj??/

Noun

occasion f (plural occasions)

1. occasion, opportunity
2. cause
3. bargain, good deal
4. secondhand or used item

Derived terms

Further reading

• “occasion” in Trésor de la langue française informatisé (The Digitized Treasury of the French Language).