actuate
English
WOTD – 11 January 2009
Etymology
From Medieval Latin āctuātus, perfect passive participle of āctuō (“actuate, implement”), from Latin āctus, perfect passive participle of agō (“do, act”).
Pronunciation
Verb
actuate (third-person singular simple present actuates, present participle actuating, simple past and past participle actuated)
- (transitive) To activate, or to put into motion; to animate.
- Johnson
- Wings, which others were contriving to actuate by the perpetual motion.
- Johnson
- (transitive) To incite to action; to motivate.
- 1748. HUME, David Enquiries concerning the human understanding and concerning the principles of moral. 2. ed. London: Oxford University Press, 1973. § 11.
- A man in a fit of anger, is actuated in a very different manner from one who only thinks of that emotion.
- Addison
- Men of the greatest abilities are most fired with ambition; and, on the contrary, mean and narrow minds are the least actuated by it.
- 1748. HUME, David Enquiries concerning the human understanding and concerning the principles of moral. 2. ed. London: Oxford University Press, 1973. § 11.
Derived terms
Related terms
Translations
to activate; put into motion
to incite to action
Latin
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