| excite | 1. To call to activity in any way; to rouse to feeling; to kindle to passionate emotion; to stir up to combined or general activity; as, to excite a person, the spirits, the passions; to excite a mutiny or insurrection; to excite heat by friction. 2. <physiology> To call forth or increase the vital activity of an organism, or any of its parts. Synonym: To incite, awaken, animate, rouse or arouse, stimulate, inflame, irritate, provoke. To Excite, Incite. When we excite we rouse into action feelings which were less strong; when we incite we spur on or urge forward to a specific act or end. Demosthenes excited the passions of the Athenians against Philip, and thus incited the whole nation to unite in the war against him. Antony, by his speech over the body of Caesar, so excited the feelings of the populace, that Brutus and his companions were compelled to flee from Rome; many however, were incited to join their standard, not only by love of liberty, but hopes of plunder. Origin: L. Excitare; ex out + citare to move rapidly, to rouse: cf. OF. Esciter, exciter, F. Exciter. See Cite. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
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| excited atom | An atom possessing more than normal energy as a result of input of energy. See: excited state. Synonym: excited atom. (05 Mar 2000) |
| excited catatonia | Catatonia in which the patient is excited, impulsive, hyperactive, and combative. (05 Mar 2000) |
| excited state | <chemistry, radiobiology> An atom or nucleus which possesses more energy than its ground state energy. (16 Dec 1997) |
| excitement | 1. The act of exciting, or the state of being roused into action, or of having increased action; impulsion; agitation; as, an excitement of the people. 2. That which excites or rouses; that which moves, stirs, or induces action; a motive. "The cares and excitements of a season of transition and struggle." (Talfowrd) 3. <physiology> A state of aroused or increased vital activity in an organism, or any of its organs or tissues. Origin: Cf. OF. Excitement, escitement. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |