different between agitation vs flurry

English

Etymology

From French agitation, from Latin agit?ti? (“movement, agitation”).

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /ad????te??(?)n/
• (US) IPA^(key): /æ.d????te?.??n/
• Rhymes: -e???n

Noun

agitation (countable and uncountable, plural agitations)

1. The act of agitating, or the state of being agitated; the state of being disrupted with violence, or with irregular action; commotion.

2. A disturbance of personal tranquillity; disturbance of someone's peace of mind.

   Synonym: perturbation

3. Excitement of public feeling by discussion, appeals, etc.
   • 1856-1858, William H. Prescott, History of the Reign of Philip II

     […] religious agitations […]

4. (archaic) Examination or consideration of a subject in controversy, or of a plan proposed for adoption; earnest discussion; debate.
   • 1732, Jonathan Swift, The Advantages Proposed by Repealing the Sacramental Test

     […] the project now in agitation […]

Synonyms

• emotion, commotion, excitement, trepidation, tremor, perturbation

Translations

References

• agitation in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.

Danish

Noun

agitation c (singular definite agitationen, plural indefinite agitationer)

1. agitation

Declension

Further reading

• “agitation” in Den Danske Ordbog

French

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin agitatio. Surface analysis: agiter +? -ation.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /a.?i.ta.sj??/

Noun

agitation f (plural agitations)

1. choppiness (of water), turbulence (in air), swaying (of branch etc.)
2. restlessness
3. bustle (of street, room etc.); activity
4. (nervous) agitation
5. (social) unrest

Descendants

• ? Romanian: agita?ie

Further reading

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

English

Etymology

Perhaps an American English blend of flutter and hurry. Alternatively, perhaps from an obsolete term flurr (“scatter”).

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /?fl??i/ (accents with the "Foot-strut" split)
• (UK) IPA^(key): /?fl??i/ (accents without the "Foot-strut" split)
• Rhymes: -?ri
• (US) IPA^(key): /?fl??i/ (accents without the "Hurry-furry" merger)
  • Rhymes: -?ri
• (US) IPA^(key): /?fl?.?i/ (accents with the "Hurry-furry" merger)

Noun

flurry (plural flurries)

1. A light, brief snowfall.
2. A sudden and brief blast or gust; a light, temporary breeze.

   a flurry of wind

3. A shower of dust, leaves etc. brought on by a sudden gust of wind.
4. (figuratively) Any sudden activity; a stir.
   • 1998, Gillian Catriona Ramchand, Deconstructing the Lexicon, in Miriam Butt and Wilhelm Geuder, eds. “The Projection of Arguments”

     These [argument structure] modifications are important because they have provoked a flurry of investigation into argument structure operations of merger, demotion etc.

5. A snack consisting of soft ice cream mixed with small pieces of fruit, cookie crumbs, etc.
   • 1988, K. Wayne Wride, Fruit Treats (in Vegetarian Times number 134, October 1988, page 27)

     Does your "Forbidden Foods" list include banana splits, ice cream sundaes, slurpies, popsicles, frozen yogurts, milk shakes, and ice cream flurries? These foods taste great but have a reputation for being bad for your health.

   • 2002, Tampa Bay Magazine (volume 17, number 3, May-June 2002, page 235)

     They will make your tongue smile with their homemade ice cream, which was voted "Best Taste in the USA Today." Enjoy exciting toppings to personalize your treat or a yummy sundae, flurry, smoothie, banana split or shake...

6. The violent spasms of a dying whale.
7. An occurrence of something (countable instances) in large numbers, happening suddenly or in a short period of time.

   Synonyms: volley, barrage

Translations

Verb

flurry (third-person singular simple present flurries, present participle flurrying, simple past and past participle flurried)

1. (transitive) To agitate, bewilder, fluster.
   • 1848, William Makepeace Thackeray, Vanity Fair, Chapter 1:

     And so venturing not to say another word, poor Jemima trotted off, exceedingly flurried and nervous.
2. (intransitive) To move or fall in a flurry.

Translations