different between agitation vs frenzy

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

Alternative forms

• phrenzy, phrensy (obsolete)

Etymology

From Middle English frensy, frenesie, from Old French frenesie, from Latin phrenesis, from Ancient Greek *???????? (*phrén?sis), a later equivalent of ???????? (phrenîtis, “inflammation of the brain”): see frantic and frenetic.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?f??nzi/

Noun

frenzy (countable and uncountable, plural frenzies)

1. A state of wild activity or panic.

   She went into a cleaning frenzy to prepare for the unexpected guests.
2. A violent agitation of the mind approaching madness; rage.

   • All else is towering frenzy and distraction.

   • 1595-1596, William Shakespeare, A Midsummer Night's Dream, Act 5, scene 1:

     The poet's eye in a fine frenzy rolling.

Derived terms

• feeding frenzy

Related terms

• frantic
• frenetic
• frenzied

Translations

Adjective

frenzy (comparative more frenzy, superlative most frenzy)

1. (obsolete) Mad; frantic.
   • 1678 John Bunyan The Pilgrim's Progress:

     They thought that some frenzy distemper had got into his head.

Verb

frenzy (third-person singular simple present frenzies, present participle frenzying, simple past and past participle frenzied)

1. (uncommon) To render frantic.

   • Both goaded on to strife by frenzying hate.

   • Then there is the absorbing, not to say frenzying, interest, which attends our important elections.

2. (rare) To exhibit a frenzy, such as a feeding frenzy.

   • The fresh smell of salt air, the sound of the crashing swell, the soothing immersion in the water, the sight of dolphins playing and fish frenzying beneath my board.

Further reading

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