4 definitions found
From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.44 [gcide]:
Excite \Ex*cite"\, verb (used with an object) [imp. & p. p. {Excited}; p. pr. & vb.
n. {exciting}.] [L. excitare; ex out + citare to move
rapidly, to rouse: cf. OF. esciter, exciter, F. exciter. See
{Cite}.]
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. (Physiol.) To call forth or increase the vital activity of
an organism, or any of its parts.
3. (Elec.) To energize (an electro-magnet); to produce a
magnetic field in; as, to excite a dynamo.
[Webster 1913 Suppl.]
4. (Physics) To raise to a higher energy level; -- used
especially of atoms or molecules, or of electrons within
atoms or molecules; as, absorption of a photon excites the
cesium atom, which subsequently radiates the excess
energy.
[Webster 1913 Suppl. +PJC]
Syn: To incite; awaken; animate; rouse or arouse; stimulate;
inflame; irritate; provoke.
Usage: 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 C[ae]sar, 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.
From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.44 [gcide]:
Exciting \Ex*cit"ing\, adjective
Calling or rousing into action; producing excitement; as,
exciting events; an exciting story. -- {Ex*cit"ing*ly}, adverb
{Exciting causes} (Med.), those which immediately produce
disease, or those which excite the action of predisposing
causes.
From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:
exciting
adjective
1: creating or arousing excitement; "an exciting account of her
trip" [ant: {unexciting}]
2: stimulating interest and discussion; "an exciting novel"
From Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0 [moby-thes]:
151 Moby Thesaurus words for "exciting":
acceptable, adorable, agitating, agreeable, alluring, amazing,
appealing, appetizing, ardent, arresting, astonishing, astounding,
attractive, beguiling, bewitching, blandishing, breathtaking,
burning, cajoling, captivating, catching, challenging, charged,
charismatic, charming, cliff-hanging, coaxing, come-hither,
coquettish, desirable, disquieting, distracting, disturbing,
electric, electrifying, emphatic, enchanting, encouraging,
energizing, engaging, enravishing, enthralling, enthusiastic,
enticing, entrancing, enviable, exhilarating, exhilarative, exotic,
fascinating, fervent, fetching, fiery, flirtatious, galvanic,
galvanizing, glamorous, glowing, heady, heart-expanding,
heart-stirring, heart-swelling, heart-thrilling, hypnotic,
impassioned, impressive, inflammatory, inspiring, interesting,
intoxicating, intriguing, invigorating, inviting, irresistible,
jarring, jolting, juicy, likable, lively, lovable, maddening,
mesmeric, mind-blowing, mind-boggling, mouth-watering, moving,
overcoming, overmastering, overpowering, overwhelming, passionate,
perturbing, piquant, pleasing, prepossessing, prompting,
provocative, provoking, provoquant, racy, ravishing, readable,
rich, rip-roaring, rousing, seducing, seductive, sensuous, sexy,
siren, sirenic, soul-stirring, spellbinding, spellful, spicy,
spirit-stirring, stimulant, stimulating, stimulative, stirring,
striking, succulent, suspenseful, suspensive, taking, tantalizing,
teasing, telling, tempting, thought-challenging, thought-inspiring,
thought-provoking, thrilling, thrilly, tickling, titillating,
titillative, to be desired, toothsome, troubling, unobjectionable,
unsettling, upsetting, urgent, vehement, voluptuous, warm, winning,
winsome, witching, worth having