Stir

• POS: Noun, Verb (usu participle), Verb (intransitive), Verb (transitive)

CIDE DICTIONARY

Stir, v. t. [OE. stiren, steren, sturen, AS. styrian; probably akin to D. storen to disturb, G. stören, OHG. stōren to scatter, destroy. √166.].

•  To change the place of in any manner; to move.  [1913 Webster]

  "My foot I had never yet in five days been able to stir."  [1913 Webster]
•  To disturb the relative position of the particles of, as of a liquid, by passing something through it; to agitate; as, to stir a pudding with a spoon.  [1913 Webster]

  "My mind is troubled, like a fountain stirred."  [1913 Webster]
•  To bring into debate; to agitate; to moot.  [1913 Webster]

  "Stir not questions of jurisdiction."  [1913 Webster]
•  To incite to action; to arouse; to instigate; to prompt; to excite.  Chaucer.  [1913 Webster]

  " In all senses except the first, stir is often followed by up with an intensive effect; as, to stir up fire; to stir up sedition."  [1913 Webster]

  "An Ate, stirring him to blood and strife."  [1913 Webster]

  "And for her sake some mutiny will stir."  [1913 Webster]

Syn. -- To move; incite; awaken; rouse; animate; stimulate; excite; provoke.

Stir, v. i. 

•  To move; to change one's position.  [1913 Webster]

  "I had not power to stir or strive,
  But felt that I was still alive."  [1913 Webster]
•  To be in motion; to be active or bustling; to exert or busy one's self.  [1913 Webster]

  "All are not fit with them to stir and toil."  [1913 Webster]

  "The friends of the unfortunate exile, far from resenting his unjust suspicions, were stirring anxiously in his behalf."  [1913 Webster]
•  To become the object of notice; to be on foot.  [1913 Webster]

  "They fancy they have a right to talk freely upon everything that stirs or appears."  [1913 Webster]
•  To rise, or be up, in the morning.  Shak.  [1913 Webster]

Stir, n. 

•  The act or result of stirring; agitation; tumult; bustle; noise or various movements.  [1913 Webster]

  "Why all these words, this clamor, and this stir?"  [1913 Webster]

  "Consider, after so much stir about genus and species, how few words we have yet settled definitions of."  [1913 Webster]
•  Public disturbance or commotion; tumultuous disorder; seditious uproar.  [1913 Webster]

  "Being advertised of some stirs raised by his unnatural sons in England."  [1913 Webster]
•  Agitation of thoughts; conflicting passions.  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

Stir, v. & n.
--v. (stirred, stirring)
1 tr. move a spoon or other implement round and round in (a liquid etc.) to mix the ingredients or constituents.
2 a tr. cause to move or be disturbed, esp. slightly (a breeze stirred the lake). b intr. be or begin to be in motion (not a creature was stirring). c refl. rouse (oneself), esp. from a lethargic state.
3 intr. rise from sleep (is still not stirring).
4 intr. (foll. by out of) leave; go out of (esp. one's house).
5 tr. arouse or inspire or excite (the emotions etc., or a person as regards these) (was stirred to anger; it stirred the imagination).
--n.
1 an act of stirring (give it a good stir).
2 commotion or excitement; public attention (caused quite a stir).
3 the slightest movement (not a stir).

Idiom

not stir a finger make no effort to help. stir the blood inspire enthusiasm etc. stir in mix (an added ingredient) with a substance by stirring. stir one's stumps colloq.
1 begin to move.
2 become active.
stir up
1 mix thoroughly by stirring.
2 incite (trouble etc.) (loved stirring things up).
3 stimulate, excite, arouse (stirred up their curiosity).

Derivative

stirless adj. stirrer n.

Stir, n. sl. a prison (esp. in stir).

Idiom

stir-crazy deranged from long imprisonment.

Etymology

19th c.: orig. unkn.

THESAURUS

Stir

action, activate, activeness, activism, activity, actuate, actuation, ado, advance, affect, agitate, agitation, amalgamate, animate, annoy, arise, arouse, ascend, awake, awaken, back, back up, be turbulent, beat, beat up, bestir, big house, blend, blow the coals, blow up, bluster, bobbery, boil, boiling, bother, botheration, brawl, brig, broil, brouhaha, budge, burst, business, bustle, calaboose, call forth, call up, can, challenge, change, change place, chokey, churn, churn up, circle, climb, clink, come alive, come home to, commingle, commotion, confusion, conturbation, convince, convulse, cooler, coop, cultivate, descend, din, disarrange, discombobulate, discompose, discomposure, disconcert, disorder, disquiet, disquietude, disturb, disturbance, doings, donnybrook, donnybrook fair, drive, dustup, dynamics, ebb, ebullience, ebullition, eddy, effervescence, electrify, embroilment, encourage, energize, enkindle, enrage, excite, excitement, fan, fan the fire, fan the flame, feed the fire, feery-fary, ferment, fermentation, fever, feverishness, fidgetiness, fidgets, fire, fit, flame, flap, flow, flurry, fluster, flutter, flutteration, flutteriness, foam, foment, foofaraw, fracas, free-for-all, frenzy, fret, fume, furore, fuss, fussiness, galvanize, get, get moving, get over, get up, glasshouse, go, go around, go deep, go round, go sideways, go through one, going, goings-on, gyrate, hassle, heat, helter-skelter, hoosegow, hubbub, hullabaloo, hurly-burly, hurry, hurry-scurry, impassion, impel, incense, incite, induce, inflame, infuriate, inquietude, inspire, instigate, intermingle, jar, jitters, jolt, jug, jumpiness, keep, key up, kindle, kinematics, kinesipathy, kinesis, kinesitherapy, kinetics, lather up, light the fuse, light up, look lively, madden, maelstrom, make sensitive, malaise, melee, melt, melt the heart, merge, militancy, mill, mill around, mingle, mix up, mobilization, moil, motion, motivate, motivation, mount, move, move over, movement, moving, nerviness, nervosity, nervousness, overexcite, paddle, pandemonium, pell-mell, pen, penetrate, penitentiary, persuade, perturb, perturbate, perturbation, pierce, pique, plunge, pokey, political activism, pother, prison, proceedings, prod, progress, prompt, provoke, quicken, quod, racket, raise, raise up, rally, rampage, rattle, refine, regress, restlessness, resuscitate, retrogress, revive, rile, riot, ripple, rise, rock, roil, rotate, rough-and-tumble, roughen, roughhouse, rouse, rout, row, ruckus, ruction, ruffle, rumple, rumpus, run, running, scramble, seethe, seething, sensibilize, sensitize, set astir, set fire to, set on, set on fire, shake, shake a leg, shake up, sharpen, shift, shindy, shock, simmer, sink, slammer, smart, smolder, soar, soften, spasm, spin, spur, spurt, stagger, steam up, step lively, stew, stimulate, sting, stir about, stir the blood, stir the embers, stir the feelings, stir up, stirring, stream, subside, summon up, sweat, swirl, swirling, to-do, touch, touch a chord, travel, trepidation, trepidity, trouble, tumult, tumultuation, turbidity, turbulence, turmoil, turn on, twitter, unease, unquiet, unrest, unsettle, uproar, upset, urge, velocity, vitalize, vortex, wake, wake up, waken, wane, warm, warm the blood, whet, whip, whip up, whirl, whirlpool, whirlwind, whisk, work into, work up, yeastiness

ROGET THESAURUS

Stir

Activity

N activity, briskness, liveliness, animation, life, vivacity, spirit, dash, energy, snap, vim, nimbleness, agility, smartness, quickness, velocity, alacrity, promptitude, despatch, dispatch, expedition, haste, punctuality, eagerness, zeal, ardor, perfervidum aingenium, empressement, earnestness, intentness, abandon, vigor, devotion, exertion, industry, assiduity, assiduousness, sedulity, laboriousness, drudgery, painstaking, diligence, perseverance, indefatigation, habits of business, vigilance, wakefulness, sleeplessness, restlessness, insomnia, pervigilium, insomnium, racketing, movement, bustle, stir, fuss, ado, bother, pottering, fidget, fidgetiness, flurry, officiousness, dabbling, meddling, interference, interposition, intermeddling, tampering with, intrigue, press of business, no sinecure, plenty to do, many irons in the fire, great doings, busy hum of men, battle of life, thick of the action, housewife, busy bee, new brooms, sharp fellow, sharp blade, devotee, enthusiast, zealot, meddler, intermeddler, intriguer, busybody, pickthank, hummer, hustler, live man, rustler, active, brisk, brisk as a lark, brisk as a bee, lively, animated, vivacious, alive, alive and kicking, frisky, spirited, stirring, nimble, nimble as a squirrel, agile, light-footed, nimble-footed, featly, tripping, quick, prompt, yare, instant, ready, alert, spry, sharp, smart, fast, quick as a lamplighter, expeditious, awake, broad awake, go-ahead, live wide-awake, forward, eager, strenuous, zealous, enterprising, in earnest, resolute, industrious, assiduous, diligent, sedulous, notable, painstaking, intent, indefatigable, unwearied, unsleeping, never tired, plodding, hard-working, businesslike, workaday, bustling, restless, restless as a hyena, fussy, fidgety, pottering, busy, busy as hen with one chicken, working, at work, on duty, in harness, up in arms, on one's legs, at call, up and doing, up and stirring, busy, occupied, hard at work, hard at it, up to one's ears in, full of business, busy as a bee, busy as a one-armed paperhanger, meddling, meddlesome, pushing, officious, overofficious, intrigant, astir, stirring, agoing, afoot, on foot, in full swing, eventful, on the alert, actively, with life and spirit, with might and main &c, with haste, with wings, full tilt, in mediis rebus, Int, be alive, look alive, look sharp!, move on, push on!, keep moving!, go ahead!, stir your stumps!, age quod agis!, jaldi!, karo!, step lively!, carpe diem, seize the day, nulla dies sine linea, nec mora nec requies, the plot thickens, No sooner said than done, veni vidi vici, catch a weasel asleep, abends wird der Faule fleissig, dictum ac factum, schwere Arbeit in der Jugend ist sanfte Ruhe im Al, hard work in youth means soft rest in age, the busy hum of men.

VB be active, busy oneself in, stir, stir about, stir one's stumps, bestir oneself, rouse oneself, speed, hasten, peg away, lay about one, bustle, fuss, raise up, kick up a dust, push, make a push, make a fuss, make a stir, go ahead, push forward, fight one's way, elbow one's way, make progress, toll, plod, persist, keep up the ball, keep the pot boiling, look sharp, have all one's eyes about one, rise, arouse oneself, hustle, get up early, be about, keep moving, steal a march, kill two birds with one stone, seize the opportunity, lose no time, not lose a moment, make the most of one's time, not suffer the grass to grow under one's feet, improve the shining hour, make short work of, dash off, make haste, do one's best take pains, do wonders, work wonders, have many irons in the fire, have one's hands full, have much on one's hands, have other things to do, have other fish to fry, be busy, not have a moment to spare, not have a moment that one can call one's own, have one's fling, run the round of, go all lengths, stick at nothing, run riot, outdo, overdo, overact, overlay, overshoot the mark, make a toil of a pleasure, have a hand in, take an active part, put in one's oar, have a finger in the pie, mix oneself up with, trouble, one's head about, intrigue, agitate, tamper with, meddle, moil, intermeddle, interfere, interpose, obtrude, poke one's nose in, thrust one's nose in.

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

N energy, physical energy, force, power, keenness, intensity, vigor, strength, elasticity, go, high pressure, fire, rush, acrimony, acritude, causiticity, virulence, poignancy, harshness, severity, edge, point, pungency, cantharides, seasoning, activity, agitation, effervescence, ferment, fermentation, ebullition, splutter, perturbation, stir, bustle, voluntary energy, quicksilver, resolution, exertion, excitation, strong, energetic, forcible, active, intense, deep-dyed, severe, keen, vivid, sharp, acute, incisive, trenchant, brisk, rousing, irritation, poignant, virulent, caustic, corrosive, mordant, harsh, stringent, double-edged, double-shotted, double- distilled, drastic, escharotic, racy, potent, radioactive, strongly, fortiter in re, with telling effect, the steam is up, vires acquirit eundo, the race by vigor not by vaunts is won.

Motion

N motion, movement, move, going, unrest, stream, flow, flux, run, course, stir, evolution, kinematics, telekinesis, step, rate, pace, tread, stride, gait, port, footfall, cadence, carriage, velocity, angular velocity, clip, progress, locomotion, journey, voyage, transit, restlessness, mobility, movableness, motive power, laws of motion, mobilization, moving, in motion, transitional, motory, motive, shifting, movable, mobile, mercurial, unquiet, restless, nomadic, erratic, under way, on the move, on the wing, on the tramp, on the march, eppur si muove, es bildet ein Talent sich in der Stille, sich ein Charakter in dem Strom der Welt.

VB be in motion, move, go, hie, gang, budge, stir, pass, flit, hover about, hover round, hover about, shift, slide, glide, roll, roll on, flow, stream, run, drift, sweep along, wander, walk, change one's place, shift one's place, change one's quarters, shift one's quarters, dodge, keep going, keep moving, put in motion, set in motion, move, impel, propel, render movable, mobilize.

Agitation

N agitation, stir, tremor, shake, ripple, jog, jolt, jar, jerk, shock, succussion, trepidation, quiver, quaver, dance, jactitation, quassation, shuffling, twitter, flicker, flutter, turbulence, perturbation, commotion, turmoil, disquiet, tumult, tumultuation, hubbub, rout, bustle, fuss, racket, subsultus, staggers, megrims, epilepsy, fits, carphology, chorea, floccillation, the jerks, St. Vitus's dance, tilmus, spasm, throe, throb, palpitation, convulsion, disturbance, chaos, restlessness, ferment, fermentation, ebullition, effervescence, hurly-burly, cahotage, tempest, storm, ground swell, heavy sea, whirlpool, vortex, whirlwind, shaking, agitated tremulous, desultory, subsultory, saltatoric, quasative, shambling, giddy-paced, saltatory, convulsive, unquiet, restless, all of a twitter, by fits and starts, subsultorily, per saltum, hop skip and jump, in convulsions, in fits, tempete dans un verre d'eau.

VB be agitated, shake, tremble, tremble like an aspen leaf, quiver, quaver, quake, shiver, twitter, twire, writhe, toss, shuffle, tumble, stagger, bob, reel, sway, wag, waggle, wriggle, wriggle like an eel, dance, stumble, shamble, flounder, totter, flounce, flop, curvet, prance, cavort, squirm, throb, pulsate, beat, palpitate, go pitapat, flutter, flitter, flicker, bicker, bustle, ferment, effervesce, foam, boil, boil over, bubble up, simmer, toss about, jump about, jump like a parched pea, shake like an aspen leaf, shake to its center, shake to its foundations, be the sport of the winds and waves, reel to and fro like a drunken man, move from post to pillar and from pillar to post, drive from post to pillar and from pillar to post, keep between hawk and buzzard, agitate, shake, convulse, toss, tumble, bandy, wield, brandish, flap, flourish, whisk, jerk, hitch, jolt, jog, joggle, jostle, buffet, hustle, disturb, stir, shake up, churn, jounce, wallop, whip, vellicate.