instigate
1instigate — properly means ‘to bring about by excitement or persuasion, to foment or provoke’, and usually refers to an antisocial or discreditable action, such as violence, wars, revolts, riots, acts of terrorism, or political coups: • … a radical… …
2Instigate — In sti*gate, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Instigated}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Instigating}.] [L. instigatus, p. p. of instigare to instigate; pref. in in + a root akin to G. stechen to prick, E. stick. See {Stick}.] To goad or urge forward; to set on; to… …
3instigate — index abet, agitate (activate), bait (harass), evoke, exhort, foment, impel …
4instigate — [in′stə gāt΄] vt. instigated, instigating [< L instigatus, pp. of instigare, to stimulate, incite < in , IN 1 + stigare, to prick: for IE base see STICK] 1. to urge on, spur on, or incite to some action, esp. to some evil [to instigate… …
5instigate — ► VERB 1) bring about or initiate. 2) (instigate to/to do) incite (someone) to do. DERIVATIVES instigation noun instigator noun. ORIGIN Latin instigare urge, incite …
6instigate — (v.) 1540s, back formation from instigation or else from L. instigatus, pp. of instigare to urge on, incite (see INSTIGATION (Cf. instigation)). Related: Instigated; instigates; instigating …
7instigate — *incite, abet, foment Analogous words: *activate, actuate, motivate: *suggest, hint, insinuate: plan, plot, scheme (see under PLAN n) …
8instigate — [v] influence, provoke abet, actuate, add fuel, bring about, egg on*, encourage, fire up*, foment, goad, hint, impel, incite, inflame, initiate, insinuate, kindle, make waves*, move, needle*, persuade, plan, plot, prompt, put up to, rabble rouse* …
9instigate — instigatingly, adv. instigative, adj. instigator, instigant /in sti geuhnt/, n. /in sti gayt /, v.t., instigated, instigating. 1. to cause by incitement; foment: to instigate a quarrel. 2. to urge, provoke, or incite to some action or course: to… …
10instigate — v. (esp. BE) (H) to instigate smb. to do smt. * * * [ ɪnstɪgeɪt] (esp. BE) (H) to instigate smb. to do smt …
11instigate — UK [ˈɪnstɪɡeɪt] / US [ˈɪnstɪˌɡeɪt] verb [transitive] Word forms instigate : present tense I/you/we/they instigate he/she/it instigates present participle instigating past tense instigated past participle instigated formal to make something start …
12instigate — in•sti•gate [[t]ˈɪn stɪˌgeɪt[/t]] v. t. gat•ed, gat•ing 1) to cause by incitement; foment: to instigate a quarrel[/ex] 2) to urge, provoke, or incite to some action or course: to instigate people to revolt[/ex] • Etymology: 1535–45; < L… …
13instigate — /ˈɪnstəgeɪt / (say instuhgayt) verb (t) (instigated, instigating) 1. to spur on, set on, or incite to some action or course: to instigate someone to commit a crime. 2. to bring about by incitement; foment: to instigate a quarrel. {Latin… …
14instigate — verb Instigate is used with these nouns as the object: ↑proceedings, ↑riot …
15instigate — [ ɪnstɪgeɪt] verb bring about or initiate. ↘(instigate someone to/to do something) incite someone to do something. Derivatives instigation noun instigator noun Origin C16 (earlier (ME) as instigation): from L. instigat , instigare urge, incite …
16instigate — verb (T) 1 to start something such as a legal process or an official inquiry: Without evidence it would be impossible to instigate an official investigation. 2 to start trouble by persuading someone to do something bad: A foreign government was… …
17instigate — transitive verb ( gated; gating) Etymology: Latin instigatus, past participle of instigare more at stick Date: 1542 to goad or urge forward ; provoke Synonyms: see incite • instigation noun • instigative adjective …
18instigate — verb To goad or urge forward; to set on; to provoke; to incite. He hath only instigated his blackest agents to the very extent of their malignity. Bp. Warburton. Syn: animate, encourage, impel, incite …
19instigate — Synonyms and related words: abet, activate, actuate, agitate, arouse, blow the coals, bring, bring on, call forth, contrive, draw down, draw on, effect, elicit, evoke, excite, fan, fan the flame, feed the fire, ferment, fire, foment, get, goad,… …
20instigate — I (New American Roget s College Thesaurus) v. t. incite, provoke; initiate, stimulate, urge, promote. See cause. II (Roget s IV) v. Syn. prompt, stimulate, induce, incite; see incite , urge 2 . See Synonym Study at incite . III (Roget s 3… …
