| Main Entry: | spur |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | incitement, stimulus |
Synonyms: |
activation, actuation, catalyst, excitant, goad, goose, impetus, impulse, incentive, incitation, inducement, motivation, motive, needle, prick, stimulant, trigger, turn-on, urge |
Antonyms: |
curb, hindrance |
| Main Entry: | spur |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | incite, prompt |
Synonyms: |
animate, arouse, awaken, countenance, drive, egg on, exhort, favor, fire up, goad, goose, impel, instigate, key up, press, prick, prod, propel, push, put up to, rally, rouse, sic, spark, stimulate, stir, trigger, turn on, urge, work up |
Antonyms: |
disapprove, discourage, dissuade |
| Main Entry: | abet |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | assist, help in wrongdoing |
Synonyms: |
advocate, back, condone, egg on, encourage, endorse, goad, incite, instigate, prod, promote, provoke, sanction, spur, support, urge |
Antonyms: |
counter, deter, discourage, frustrate, hinder, hurt, impede, obstruct, resist |
| 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: | animate |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | bring to life |
Synonyms: |
activate, arouse, cheer, embolden, encourage, energize, enliven, exalt, excite, fire, gladden, hearten, impel, incite, inform, inspire, inspirit, instigate, invigorate, kindle, liven, make alive, move, quicken, revive, revivify, rouse, spark, spur, stimulate, stir, urge, vitalize, vivify |
Antonyms: |
deaden, discourage, kill |
| 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: | barb |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | point |
Synonyms: |
arrow, bristle, dart, prickle, prong, quill, shaft, spike, spur, thistle, thorn |
| Main Entry: | carry |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | win; accomplish |
Synonyms: |
affect, be victorious, capture, drive, effect, gain, get, impel, impress, influence, inspire, move, prevail, secure, spur, strike, sway, touch, urge |
Antonyms: |
fail, lose |
| Main Entry: | catalyst |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | something which incites activity |
Synonyms: |
adjuvant, agitator, enzyme, goad, impetus, impulse, incendiary, incentive, incitation, incitement, motivation, radical stimulus, reactant, reactionary, spark plug, spur, stimulant, synergist, wave maker |
Antonyms: |
block, blockage, preventer, prevention |