exhilarate

• POS: Verb (transitive)
• HYPHEN: ex=hil=a=rate

CIDE DICTIONARY

exhilarate, v. t. [L. exhilaratus, p. p. of exhilarare to gladden; ex out + hilarare to make merry, hilaris merry, cheerful. See Hilarious.].

 To make merry or jolly; to enliven; to animate; to gladden greatly; to cheer; as, good news exhilarates the mind; wine exhilarates a man.  [1913 Webster]

exhilarate, v. i. 

 To become joyous.  Bacon.  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

exhilarate, v.tr. (often as exhilarating adj. or exhilarated adj.) affect with great liveliness or joy; raise the spirits of.

Derivative

exhilarant adj. & n. exhilaratingly adv. exhilaration n. exhilarative adj.

Etymology

L exhilarare (as EX-(1), hilaris cheerful)

THESAURUS

exhilarate

amuse, animate, arouse, beguile, boost, brace, brace up, brighten, brisk, brisken, buck up, buoy, buoy up, cheer, chirk up, convulse, delight, divert, dynamize, electrify, embue, encourage, energize, enliven, entertain, excite, fillip, fire, fortify, fracture one, fresh up, freshen, freshen up, galvanize, give a lift, gladden, hearten, imbue, infect, inflame, inform, infuse, infuse life into, inject, inoculate, inspire, inspirit, invigorate, jazz up, kill, kindle, knock dead, lift, liven, loosen up, pep up, perk up, pick up, pique, provoke, quicken, raise a laugh, raise a smile, reanimate, recreate, refresh, refreshen, regale, reinvigorate, rejoice, rejoice the heart, relax, renew, resuscitate, revive, revivify, rouse, send, set up, sharpen, slay, snap up, solace, spirit, spirit up, stimulate, thrill, tickle, titillate, uplift, vitalize, vivify, warm, whet, wow, zip up

ROGET THESAURUS

exhilarate

Cheerfulness

VB be cheerful, have the mind at ease, smile, put a good face upon, keep up one's spirits, view the bright side of the picture, view things en couleur de rose, ridentem dicere virum, cheer up, brighten up, light up, bear up, chirp, take heart, cast away care, drive dull care away, perk up, keep a stiff upper lip, rejoice, carol, chirrup, lilt, frisk, rollick, give a loose to mirth, cheer, enliven, elate, exhilarate, gladden, inspirit, animate, raise the spirits, inspire, perk up, put in good humor, cheer the heart, rejoice the heart, delight.