| Main Entry: | accelerate |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | increase speed, timing |
Synonyms: |
advance, drive, dust*, expedite, fire up, forward, further, gun*, hammer on, hasten, hurry, impel, lay a patch, lay rubber, make tracks, nail it, open up, peel rubber, precipitate, put on afterburners, put pedal to metal, quicken, railroad, rev, rev up, roll*, speed up, spur, step on gas, step up, stimulate, tool* |
Antonyms: |
decelerate, defer, hinder, impede, postpone, retard, slow down |
| 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: | annoy |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | irritate, upset |
Synonyms: |
T-off, abrade, agitate, ask for it, badger, be at, be on the back of, bedevil, beleaguer, bore, bother, break, bug, burn up, chafe, displease, distress, disturb, egg on, exasperate, fire up, gall, get, gnaw, harass, harry, heat up, henpeck, hit where one lives, irk, madden, make waves, miff, nag, needle, nettle, nudge, peeve, perturb, pester, plague, provoke, push button, ride, rile, ruffle, tease, tick off, trouble, turn off, vex, work on, worry |
Antonyms: |
aid, gratify, make happy, please, soothe |
| Main Entry: | arouse |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | excite, entice |
Synonyms: |
agitate, alert, animate, awaken, call, challenge, electrify, enliven, fire up, foment, foster, goad, heat up, incite, inflame, instigate, kindle, move, provoke, rally, rouse, send, spark, spur, stimulate, stir, thrill, turn on, wake up, waken, warm, whet, whip up, work up |
Antonyms: |
bore, calm, lull, quiet |
| Main Entry: | cause |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | bring into being; bring about |
Synonyms: |
be at the bottom of, begin, brainstorm*, break in, break the ice, breed, bring to pass, come out with, compel, cook up, create, dream up, effect, elicit, engender, evoke, fire up, generate, get things rolling, give rise to, hatch, incite, induce, introduce, kickoff, kindle, lead to, let, make, make up, motivate, muster, occasion, open, originate, precipitate, produce, provoke, result in, revert, secure, sow the seeds, start the ball rolling, think up, work up |
| Main Entry: | drive |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | moving, controlling a vehicle |
Synonyms: |
actuate, advance, bear down, bicycle, bike, burn rubber, burn up the road, coast, cruise, cycle, dash, direct, drag, fire up, floor it, fly, guide, handle, impel, lean on it, make sparks fly, manage, mobilize, motor, operate, pour it on, propel, push, ride, roll, run, send, speed, spin, start, steer, step on it, step on the gas, tailgate, tool*, transport, travel, turn, vehiculate, wheel |
Antonyms: |
halt, stop |
| Main Entry: | enliven |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | inspire, vitalize |
Synonyms: |
animate, brace up, brighten, buck up, buoy, cheer, cheer up, divert, entertain, excite, exhilarate, fire, fire up, galvanize, give a lift, give life to, gladden, hearten, inspirit, invigorate, jazz up, juice up, let sunshine in, pep up, perk up, pick up, put pep into, quicken, recreate, refresh, rejuvenate, renew, restore, rouse, snap out of it, spark, spice, spice up, stimulate, vivificate, vivify, wake up, work up, zap |
Antonyms: |
bore, dull, enervate, exhaust, fatigue, subdue, tire |
| Main Entry: | flare |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | erupt, blow |
Synonyms: |
blaze, boil over, break out, burn, burn up, burst, dart, dazzle, explode, fire up, flash, flicker, flutter, fume, glare, glow, go off, lose control, rant, seethe, shimmer, shoot, waver |
| 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: | incense |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | make very angry |
Synonyms: |
anger, ask for it, bother, disgust, egg on, enrage, exasperate, excite, fire up, get a rise out of, get under one's skin, inflame, infuriate, ire, irritate, mad, madden, make blood boil, make see red, provoke, rile, umbrage |
Antonyms: |
calm, comfort, please |