| Main Entry: | |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | initiate something; start a function |
| Synonyms: | actify, actuate, arouse, call up, energize, impel, mobilize, motivate, move, prompt, propel, rouse, set in motion, start, stimulate, stir, switch on, take out of mothballs, trigger, turn on |
| 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: | arrest, stop |