stir
1to move one's hand or an implement continuously or repeatedly through (a liquid or other substance) in order to cool, mix, agitate, dissolve, etc., any or all of the component parts: to stir one's coffee with a spoon.
to set in tremulous, fluttering, or irregular motion: A soft breeze stirred the leaves.
to affect strongly; excite: to stir pity;to stir one's heart.
to incite, instigate, or provoke (usually followed by up): to stir up a people to rebellion.
to move briskly; bestir: to stir oneself.
to move, especially in a slight way: He would not stir a finger to help them.
to rouse from inactivity, quiet, contentment, indifference, etc. (usually followed by up): to stir up his potential.
to bring up for notice or discussion.
Older Use. to disturb; trouble: A slow wave of remembrance stirred her peace.
to move, especially slightly or lightly: Not a leaf stirred.
to move around, especially briskly; be active: Everyone in the house was stirring.
to become active, as from some rousing or quickening impulse.
to be emotionally moved or strongly affected.
to be in circulation, current, or afoot: Is there any news stirring?
the act of stirring or moving.
the sound made by stirring or moving slightly.
a state or occasion of general excitement; commotion: The news created a stir.
a mental impulse, sensation, or feeling: a stir of hope.
a jog, poke, or thrust: He gave the refuse a stir with his foot.
movement, especially brisk and busy movement: There was too much clamor and stir for her.
Idioms about stir
stir the pot. pot1 (def. 26).
Origin of stir
1synonym study For stir
Other words for stir
Opposites for stir
Other words from stir
- stir·ra·ble, adjective
- stirless, adjective
- stir·less·ly, adverb
- un·stir·ra·ble, adjective
- un·stirred, adjective
- well-stirred, adjective
Words Nearby stir
Other definitions for stir (2 of 2)
Origin of stir
2Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024
How to use stir in a sentence
The team’s 2005 findings, published in Nature, caused a stir.
Has the fountain of youth been in our blood all along? | Kat McGowan | September 28, 2021 | Popular-ScienceGoogle’s recent change in algorithms that choose which titles show up in SERPs has caused quite a stir in the SEO community.
Search marketers should remember their power in the Google-SEO relationship | Carolyn Lyden | August 26, 2021 | Search Engine LandThe overall flavor of your stir-fry is going to be dependent on how you marinated your meat and the other seasonings you are using.
8 tips about Asian cooking from Martin Yan, Grace Young and other experts | Becky Krystal | May 13, 2021 | Washington PostAdd the 2 beaten eggs and stir-fry 1 minute until the eggs are just set but still a little runny.
8 tips about Asian cooking from Martin Yan, Grace Young and other experts | Becky Krystal | May 13, 2021 | Washington PostWhile those and other comments caused a stir in Jordan, King Abdullah could mostly ignore them as the musings of a disgruntled but insignificant political player.
Remove from heat and stir in the walnuts, rum, powdered sugar, and salt until fully incorporated.
stir in the frozen peas and chicken, taste for seasonings, and pour the mixture into six (2-cup) ovenproof serving bowls.
With a rubber spatula, stir in the chocolate and cranberries until the dough is well mixed.
Make These Barefoot Contessa Salty Oatmeal Chocolate Chunk Cookies | Ina Garten | November 28, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTFleeing their homes, many Syrians left behind middle-class lives; most arrived with none of the mementos that stir memory.
In 2012, Sex and the City star Cynthia Nixon caused a stir when she told The New York Times that her lesbianism is a “choice.”
The beauty, the mystery,—this fierce sunshine or something—stir——' She hesitated for a fraction of a second.
The Wave | Algernon BlackwoodIf it took years to do it, you shall never stir out of this house till it is done.
Checkmate | Joseph Sheridan Le FanuIt was when the face and figure of a great tragedian began to haunt her imagination and stir her senses.
The Awakening and Selected Short Stories | Kate ChopinHe wasn't the style of man that I'd care to stir up trouble with, judging from his size and the shape of his head.
Raw Gold | Bertrand W. SinclairNot until the servant had thrown open the door of the coach and deposited within the valise he carried, did Garnache stir.
St. Martin's Summer | Rafael Sabatini
British Dictionary definitions for stir (1 of 3)
/ (stɜː) /
to move an implement such as a spoon around in (a liquid) so as to mix up the constituents: she stirred the porridge
to change or cause to change position; disturb or be disturbed: he stirred in his sleep
(intr often foll by from) to venture or depart (from one's usual or preferred place): he won't stir from the fireside
(intr) to be active after a rest; be up and about
(tr) to excite or stimulate, esp emotionally
to move (oneself) briskly or vigorously; exert (oneself)
(tr) to rouse or awaken: to stir someone from sleep; to stir memories
informal (when tr, foll by up) to cause or incite others to cause (trouble, arguments, etc)
stir one's stumps informal to move or become active
the act or an instance of stirring or the state of being stirred
a strong reaction, esp of excitement: his publication caused a stir
a slight movement
NZ informal a noisy party
Origin of stir
1- See also stir up
Derived forms of stir
- stirrable, adjective
British Dictionary definitions for stir (2 of 3)
/ (stɜː) /
a slang word for prison in stir
Origin of stir
2British Dictionary definitions for Stir. (3 of 3)
Stirlingshire
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Other Idioms and Phrases with stir
In addition to the idioms beginning with stir
- stir up
- stir up a hornets' nest
also see:
- cause a commotion (stir)
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
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