agitate
pronunciation
How to pronounce agitate in British English:
UK [ˈædʒɪteɪt]
How to pronounce agitate in American English:
US [ˈædʒɪteɪt]
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- Verb:
- try to stir up public opinion
- cause to be agitated, excited, or roused
- exert oneself continuously, vigorously, or obtrusively to gain an end or engage in a crusade for a certain cause or person; be an advocate for
- move very slightly
- move or cause to move back and forth
- change the arrangement or position of
Word Origin
- agitate
- agitate: [16] Agitate is one of a host of English words descended ultimately from Latin agere (see AGENT). Among the many meanings of agere was ‘drive, move’, and a verb derived from it denoting repeated action, agitāre, hence meant ‘move to and fro’. This physical sense of shaking was present from the start in English agitate, but so was the more metaphorical ‘perturb’.The notion of political agitation does not emerge until the early 19th century, when the Marquis of Anglesey is quoted as saying to an Irish deputation: ‘If you really expect success, agitate, agitate, agitate!’ In this meaning, a derivative of Latin agitāre has entered English via Russian in agitprop ‘political propaganda’ [20], in which agit is short for agitatsiya ‘agitation’.=> act, agent
- agitate (v.)
- 1580s, "to disturb," from Latin agitatus, past participle of agitare "to put in constant motion, drive onward, impel," frequentative of agere "to move, drive" (see agitation). Literal sense of "move to and fro, shake" is from 1590s. Related: Agitated; agitating.
Example
- 1. Do certain activities agitate you ?
- 2. In washington , it is often fear of china 's increasing military strength that gets lawmakers and top government officials to agitate against deals .
- 3. While initially welcoming this rush of online activity , vietnam 's authorities have shown their concern about how it can be used to spread criticism of government policies and agitate in favor of democracy and other reforms .
- 4. Elected officials tend to be accommodating when confronted by powerful constituencies such as the public service unions that agitate for plush benefits and often provide ( or deny ) a steady flow of cash to election campaign funds .
- 5. Barring a heavy-handed government crackdown that could push the country toward implosion , russia appears to be headed for a protracted struggle between the government and the opposition , which , divided as it may be , will agitate and use the power of the street to force change .