instigate - Definitions from Dictionary.com

5 results for: instigate

Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) - Cite This Source - Share This

in·sti·gate

Audio Help [in-sti-geyt] Pronunciation Key

–verb (used with object), -gat·ed, -gat·ing.

1.	to cause by incitement; foment: to instigate a quarrel.

2.	to urge, provoke, or incite to some action or course: to instigate the people to revolt.

[Origin: 1535–45; < L instīgātus ptp. of instīgāre to goad on, impel, equiv. to in- in-² + -stīg- goad, prick (akin to stigma, stick²) + -ātus -ate¹

]

—Related forms

in·sti·gat·ing·ly, adverb

in·sti·ga·tive, adjective

in·sti·ga·tor, in·sti·gant

Audio Help [in-sti-guh

nt] Pronunciation Key, noun

—Synonyms 1. arouse, provoke. 2. induce, stimulate, encourage, push; initiate, start.

Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.
instigate

To learn more about instigate visit Britannica.com

American Heritage Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

in·sti·gate Audio Help (ĭn'stĭ-gāt') Pronunciation Key
tr.v. in·sti·gat·ed, in·sti·gat·ing, in·sti·gates

To urge on; goad.
To stir up; foment.

[Latin īnstīgāre, īnstīgāt-; see steig- in Indo-European roots.]

in'sti·ga'tion n., in'sti·ga'tive adj., in'sti·ga'tor n.

(Download Now or Buy the Book)

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2006 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

WordNet - Cite This Source - Share This

instigate
verb
1.	provoke or stir up; "incite a riot"; "set off great unrest among the people" [syn: incite]
2.	serve as the inciting cause of; "She prompted me to call my relatives" [syn: prompt]

Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
instigate [ˈinstigeit] verb

to suggest and encourage (a wrong action, a rebellion etc)

Arabic:	يُحَرِّض، يَحُض
Chinese (Simplified):	教唆,鼓动
Chinese (Traditional):	教唆,鼓動
Czech:	podněcovat
Danish:	tilskynde; anspore
Dutch:	aanstichten
Estonian:	õhutama
Finnish:	lietsoa
French:	être l'instigateur, *-trice de
German:	anstiften
Greek:	υποκινώ, ενθαρρύνω
Hungarian:	felbujt
Icelandic:	stofna til; æsa til
Indonesian:	menghasut
Italian:	istigare

Japanese:	けしかける
Korean:	교사하다
Latvian:	kūdīt; musināt; provocēt
Lithuanian:	kurstyti
Norwegian:	sette i gang, egge, anstifte
Polish:	podżegać do
Portuguese (Brazil):	instigar
Portuguese (Portugal):	instigar
Romanian:	a instiga
Russian:	подстрекать
Slovak:	podnietiť, naviesť
Slovenian:	hujskati
Spanish:	instigar
Swedish:	anstifta, sätta i gång
Turkish:	kışkırtmak

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Instigate

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 provoke; to incite; -- used chiefly with reference to evil actions; as to instigate one to a crime.

He hath only instigated his blackest agents to the very extent of their malignity. --Bp. Warburton.

Syn: To stimulate; urge; spur; provoke; tempt; incite; impel; encourage; animate.

Browse Nearby Entries: