| Main Entry: | actuate |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | start a function or action, motivate |
Synonyms: |
activate, animate, arouse, cause, drive, egg on, energize, excite, fire up, impel, incite, induce, influence, inspire, instigate, key up, mobilize, motivate, move, prompt, propel, put up to, quicken, rouse, spur, stimulate, turn on, work into lather, work up |
| Notes: | when something is activated, it is made active; when something is actuated, it is moved to take action (or produce a consequence) to actuate is a general word meaning 'to set working' and has more to do with mechanical action - while activate is used mainly in scientific expressions |
Antonyms: |
impede, stop |
| Main Entry: | advise |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | offer information |
Synonyms: |
acquaint, apprise, clue in, clue*, fill in, give the word, inform, keep posted, lay it out, let in on, make known, notify, post*, put next to, put on the line, put on to, report, show, tell, tip off, update, warn |
Antonyms: |
keep mum, keep quiet, keep secret |
| Main Entry: | close |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | obstruct, seal |
Synonyms: |
bang, bar, block, bolt, button, caulk, choke, clap, clench, clog, confine, congest, cork, dam, exclude, fasten, fill, lock, occlude, plug, prevent passage, put to, retard flow, screen, secure, shut, shut off, shutter, slam, stop up, stopper, stuff, turn off |
Antonyms: |
open, release, unclose, unplug, unseal, unstop |
| Main Entry: | counsel |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | give advice |
Synonyms: |
admonish, advise, advocate, caution, charge, confab, direct, enjoin, exhort, give pointer, give two cents, guide, huddle, inform, instruct, keep posted, kibitz, order, prescribe, prompt, put bug in ear, put heads together, put on to, recommend, reprehend, show the ropes, steer, suggest, teach, tip, tip off, tout, urge, warn, wise one up |
| Main Entry: | drive |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | move or urge on |
Synonyms: |
act upon, actuate, animate, arouse, bulldoze, chase, coerce, compel, constrain, dog*, egg on, encourage, force, goad, goose, harass, hasten, herd, hound, hurl, hurry, hustle, impel, induce, inspire, instigate, kick, lean on, make, motivate, nag, oblige, overburden, overwork, pound, press, pressure, prod, prompt, propel, provoke, push, put up to, railroad, ride herd on, rouse, rush, send, shepherd, shove, spirit up, spur, steamroll, stimulate, work on, worry |
Antonyms: |
check, curb, discourage, dissuade, halt, repress, retard, stop |
| Main Entry: | enlighten |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | explain thoroughly; make aware |
Synonyms: |
acquaint, advise, apprise, brief, catechize, cause to understand, civilize, convert, counsel, direct, disclose, divulge, edify, educate, elucidate, give faith, give the lowdown, give the word, guide, illume, illuminate, illumine, imitate, improve, inculcate, indoctrinate, inform, inspirit, instruct, let in on, open up, persuade, preach, put on to, reveal, save, school, teach, tell, train, update, uplift |
Antonyms: |
be vague, bewilder, confound, confuse, delude, mislead, obscure, puzzle |
| Main Entry: | familiarize |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | make or become acquainted with, knowledgeable about |
Synonyms: |
accustom, adapt, adjust, awaken to, become adept in, become aware of, break the ice, bring into use, case*, check out, coach, come to know, condition, enlighten, gain friendship, get in, get lay of land, get lowdown on, get to know, get together, get with it, habituate, inform, instruct, inure, let down hair, let know, let next to, make conversant, make used to, mix, naturalize, popularize, post, prime, put on to, school, season, tip off, train, use, wont |
| Main Entry: | goad |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | egg on, incite |
Synonyms: |
animate, annoy, arouse, bully, coerce, drive, encourage, excite, exhort, fire up, force, goose, harass, hound, impel, inspirit, instigate, irritate, key up, lash, move, needle, press, prick*, prod, prompt, propel, provoke, push, put up to, rowel, sic, sound, spark*, spur, stimulate, sting*, tease, thrust, trigger, turn on, urge, whip*, work up, worry |
Antonyms: |
discourage, dissuade |
| Main Entry: | incite |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | encourage, provoke |
Synonyms: |
abet, activate, actuate, agitate, animate, arouse, coax, craze, drive, egg on, encourage, excite, exhort, fan the fire, foment, force, forward, further, get to, goad, impel, induce, inflame, influence, inspire, inspirit, instigate, juice*, key up, motivate, persuade, prick, promote, prompt, provoke, psych, push, put up to, raise, rouse, set, set off, solicit, spur, stimulate, stir up, talk into, taunt, trigger, urge, whip up, work up |
Antonyms: |
delay, deter, discourage, prohibit |
| Main Entry: | instigate |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | influence, provoke |
Synonyms: |
abet, actuate, add fuel, bring about, egg on, encourage, fire up, foment, goad, hint, impel, incite, inflame, initiate, insinuate, kindle, make waves, move, needle, persuade, plan, plot, prompt, put up to, rabble-rouse, raise, rouse, scheme, set on, spur, start, steam up, stimulate, stir up, suggest, turn on, urge, whip up, work up |
Antonyms: |
halt, prevent, stop |