activate
To encourage development or induce increased activity; to stimulate.
Verb
- To encourage development or induce increased activity; to stimulate.
- activate the economy
- To put a device, mechanism (alarm etc.) or system into action or motion; to trigger, to actuate, to set off, to enable.
- The pranksters activated the fire alarm by spraying deodorant next to it.
- To render more reactive; excite.
- To render a molecule reactive, active, or effective in performing its function.
- To render a substance radioactive.
- To hasten a chemical reaction, especially by heating.
- To remove the limitations of demoware by providing a license; to unlock.
- To aerate in order to aid decomposition of organic matter.
- To organize or create a military unit or station.
- A new squadron was activated.
- To bring a player back after an injury.
Origin
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *h₂eǵ- Proto-Indo-European *-eti Proto-Indo-European *h₂éǵeti Proto-Italic *agō Latin agō Proto-Indo-European *-wós Proto-Indo-European *-iHwósder. Latin -īvus ▲ Ancient Greek ἐνεργητῐκός (energētĭkós)sl. Latin āctīvusbor. Old French actifbor. Middle English actyf English active Proto-Indo-European *-h₂ Proto-Indo-European *-éh₂ Proto-Indo-European *-tós Proto-Indo-European *-eh₂tos Proto-Italic *-ātos Latin -ātuslbor. English -ate English activate From active + -ate.
Forms
Synonyms
actuate enable get going set going set in motion set off spur start stimulate trigger turn on
Antonyms
Related
Derived
activable activatable activater activate someone's almonds activator activatory alloactivated autoactivate bioactivate bioactivating coactivate coactivated diactivated disactivate heteroactivate hyperactivate hyperactivated hypoactivate hypoactivated immunoactivating misactivate misactivated nonactivated nonactivating