excite

• POS: Verb (transitive)
• HYPHEN: ex=cite

CIDE DICTIONARY

excite, v. t. [L. excitare; ex out + citare to move rapidly, to rouse: cf. OF. esciter, exciter, F. exciter. See Cite.].

•  To call to activity in any way; to rouse to feeling; to kindle to passionate emotion; to stir up to combined or general activity; as, to excite a person, the spirits, the passions; to excite a mutiny or insurrection; to excite heat by friction.  [1913 Webster]
•  To call forth or increase the vital activity of an organism, or any of its parts.
•  To energize (an electro-magnet); to produce a magnetic field in; as, to excite a dynamo.  [Webster 1913 Suppl.]
•  To raise to a higher energy level; -- used especially of atoms or molecules, or of electrons within atoms or molecules; as, absorption of a photon excites the cesium atom, which subsequently radiates the excess energy.  [Webster 1913 Suppl.]

Syn. -- To incite; awaken; animate; rouse or arouse; stimulate; inflame; irritate; provoke.

OXFORD DICTIONARY

excite, v.tr.
1 a rouse the feelings or emotions of (a person). b bring into play; rouse up (feelings, faculties, etc.). c arouse sexually.
2 provoke; bring about (an action or active condition).
3 promote the activity of (an organism, tissue, etc.) by stimulus.
4 Electr. a cause (a current) to flow in the winding of an electromagnet. b supply a signal.
5 Physics a cause the emission of (a spectrum). b cause (a substance) to emit radiation. c put (an atom etc.) into a state of higher energy.

Derivative

excitant adj. & n. excitative adj. excitatory adj. excitedly adv. excitedness n. excitement n. exciter n. (esp. in senses 4, 5).

Etymology

ME f. OF exciter or L excitare frequent. of exciere (as EX-(1), ciere set in motion)

THESAURUS

excite

activate, affect the interest, agitate, anger, animate, annoy, arouse, attract, awake, awaken, beat, beat up, begin, blow the coals, blow up, bring about, call forth, call up, cause, churn, churn up, concern, convulse, cultivate, disarrange, discompose, disconcert, disquiet, disturb, effect, electrify, elicit, energize, enkindle, enliven, enrage, excite interest, fan, fan the fire, fan the flame, fascinate, feed the fire, ferment, fire, fire up, flame, flurry, fluster, foment, frenzy, fret, galvanize, generate, get going, heat, heat up, hop up, ignite, impassion, incense, incite, inflame, infuriate, initiate, inspire, inspirit, instigate, interest, intrigue, invigorate, invite, involve in, key up, kindle, lather up, light the fuse, light up, madden, make sensitive, motivate, move, nettle, occasion, overexcite, paddle, perturb, perturbate, pique, prime, prod, provoke, put up to, quicken, rally, refine, rile, ripple, roil, roughen, rouse, ruffle, rumple, sensibilize, sensitize, set astir, set fire to, set in motion, set on, set on fire, shake, shake up, sharpen, sic on, spark, spur on, start, steam up, stimulate, stir, stir the blood, stir the embers, stir the feelings, stir up, summon up, swirl, tantalize, thrill, tickle, titillate, touch off, trouble, turn on, upset, urge, wake, wake up, waken, warm, warm the blood, whet, whip, whip up, whisk, wind up, work into, work up

ROGET THESAURUS

excite

Excitation

VB excite, affect, touch, move, impress, strike, interest, animate, inspire, impassion, smite, infect, stir the blood, fire the blood, warm the blood, set astir, wake, awake, awaken, call forth, evoke, provoke, raise up, summon up, call up, wake up, blow up, get up, light up, raise, get up the steam, rouse, arouse, stir, fire, kindle, enkindle, apply the torch, set on fire, inflame, stimulate, exsuscitate, inspirit, spirit up, stir up, work up, pique, infuse life into, give new life to, bring new blood, introduce new blood, quicken, sharpen, whet, work upon, hurry on, give a fillip, put on one's mettle, fan the fire, fan the flame, blow the coals, stir the embers, fan into a flame, foster, heat, warm, foment, raise to a fever heat, keep up, keep the pot boiling, revive, rekindle, rake up, rip up, stir the feelings, play on the feelings, come home to the feelings, touch a string, touch a chord, touch the soul, touch the heart, go to one's heart, penetrate, pierce, go through one, touch to the quick, possess the soul, pervade the soul, penetrate the soul, imbrue the soul, absorb the soul, affect the soul, disturb the soul, absorb, rivet the attention, sink into the mind, sink into the heart, prey on the mind, distract, intoxicate, overwhelm, overpower, bouleverser, upset, turn one's head, fascinate, enrapture, agitate, perturb, ruffle, fluster, shake, disturb, startle, shock, stagger, give one a shock, give one a turn, strike all of a heap, stun, astound, electrify, galvanize, petrify, irritate, sting, cut to the heart, cut to the quick, try one's temper, fool to the top of one's bent, pique, infuriate, madden, make one's blood boil, lash into fury, be excited, flush up, flare up, catch the infection, thrill, mantle, work oneself up, seethe, boil, simmer, foam, fume, flame, rage, rave, run mad.

Physical Energy

VB give energy, energize, stimulate, kindle, excite, exert, sharpen, intensify, inflame, wind up, strike home, into home, hard home, make an impression.

Violence

VB be violent, run high, ferment, effervesce, romp, rampage, go on a rampage, run wild, run amuck, run riot, break the peace, rush, tear, rush headlong, rush foremost, raise a storm, make a riot, rough house, riot, storm, wreak, bear down, ride roughshod, out Herod, Herod, spread like wildfire (person), explode, make a row, kick up a row, boil, boil over, fume, foam, come on like a lion, bluster, rage, roar, fly off the handle, go bananas, go ape, blow one's top, blow one's cool, flip one's lid, hit the ceiling, hit the roof, fly into a rage (anger), break out, fly out, burst out, bounce, explode, go off, displode, fly, detonate, thunder, blow up, crump, flash, flare, burst, shock, strain, break open, force open, prize open, render violent, sharpen, stir up, quicken, excite, incite, annoy, urge, lash, stimulate, turn on, irritate, inflame, kindle, suscitate, foment, accelerate, aggravate, exasperate, exacerbate, convulse, infuriate, madden, lash into fury, fan the flame, add fuel to the flame, pour oil on the fire, oleum addere camino, explode, let fly, fly off, discharge, detonate, set off, detonize, fulminate.

Resentment

VB resent, take amiss, take ill, take to heart, take offense, take umbrage, take huff, take exception, take in ill part, take in bad part, take in dudgeon, ne pas entendre raillerie, breathe revenge, cut up rough, fly into a rage, fall into a rage, get into a rage, fly into a passion, bridle up, bristle up, froth up, fire up, flare up, open the vials of one's wrath, pour out the vials of one's wrath, pout, knit the brow, frown, scowl, lower, snarl, growl, gnarl, gnash, snap, redden, color, look black, look black as thunder, look daggers, bite one's thumb, show one's teeth, grind one's teeth, champ the bit, champ at the bit, chafe, mantle, fume, kindle, fly out, take fire, boil, boil over, boil with indignation, boil with rage, rage, storm, foam, vent one's rage, vent one's spleen, lose one's temper, stand on one's hind legs, stamp the foot, stamp with rage, quiver with rage, swell with rage, foam with rage, burst with anger, raise Cain, have a fling at, bear malice, cause anger, raise anger, affront, offend, give offense, give umbrage, anger, hurt the feelings, insult, discompose, fret, ruffle, nettle, huff, pique, excite, irritate, stir the blood, stir up bile, sting, sting to the quick, rile, provoke, chafe, wound, incense, inflame, enrage, aggravate, add fuel to the flame, fan into a flame, widen the breach, envenom, embitter, exasperate, infuriate, kindle wrath, stick in one's gizzard, rankle, hit on the raw, rub on the raw, sting on the raw, strike on the raw, put out of countenance, put out of humor, put one's monkey up, put one's back up, raise one's gorge, raise one's dander, raise one's choler, work up into a passion, make one's blood boil, make the ears tingle, throw, into a ferment, madden, drive one mad, lash into fury, lash into madness, fool to the top of one's bent, set by the ears, bring a hornet's nest about one's ears.