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From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.44 [gcide]:
Stimulate \Stim"u*late\, verb (used with an object) [imp. & p. p. {Stimulated}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Stimulating}.] [L. stimulatus, p. p. of stimulare to prick or goad on, to incite, fr. stimulus a goad. See {Stimulus}.]
1. To excite as if with a goad; to excite, rouse, or animate, to action or more vigorous exertion by some pungent motive or by persuasion; as, to stimulate one by the hope of reward, or by the prospect of glory.
To excite and stimulate us thereunto. --Dr. J. Scott.
2. (Physiol.) To excite; to irritate; especially, to excite the activity of (a nerve or an irritable muscle), as by electricity.
Syn: To animate; incite; encourage; impel; urge; instigate; irritate; exasperate; incense.
From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:
stimulate
verb
1: act as a stimulant; "The book stimulated her imagination"; "This play stimulates" [syn: {excite}] [ant: {stifle}]
2: cause to do; cause to act in a specified manner; "The ads induced me to buy a VCR"; "My children finally got me to buy a computer"; "My wife made me buy a new sofa" [syn: {induce}, {cause}, {have}, {get}, {make}]
3: stir the feelings, emotions, or peace of; "These stories shook the community"; "the civil war shook the country" [syn: {shake}, {shake up}, {excite}, {stir}]
4: cause to be alert and energetic; "Coffee and tea stimulate me"; "This herbal infusion doesn't stimulate" [syn: {arouse}, {brace}, {energize}, {energise}, {perk up}] [ant: {de-energize}, {de-energize}, {sedate}]
5: cause to occur rapidly; "the infection precipitated a high fever and allergic reactions" [syn: {induce}, {rush}, {hasten}]
6: stir feelings in; "stimulate my appetite"; "excite the audience"; "stir emotions" [syn: {excite}, {stir}]
7: provide the needed stimulus for [syn: {provoke}]
From Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0 [moby-thes]:
146 Moby Thesaurus words for "stimulate": activate, actuate, affect the interest, animate, animating, arouse, attract, awaken, brace, brace up, bracing, bring forth, bring out, bring to light, brisk, brisken, buck up, call forth, call out, call up, cheer, chirk up, compel, concern, cultivate, deduce, derive, drag out, draw forth, draw out, dynamize, educe, electrify, elicit, encourage, energize, enliven, enlivening, evoke, excite, excite interest, exhilarate, exhilarating, exhilarative, fascinate, fillip, fire, force, fortify, foster, fresh up, freshen, freshen up, fuel, galvanize, get from, get out of, goad, hearten, impel, incite, increase, induce, inflame, infuse life into, inspire, inspiring, inspirit, interest, intoxicating, invigorate, invite, involve in, jazz up, jolt, kindle, lively, liven, make sensitive, motivate, move, move to action, nourish, obtain, pep up, perk up, pick up, pique, procure, promote, prompt, propel, provocative, provoke, quicken, quickening, reanimate, recreate, refine, refresh, refreshen, regale, reinvigorate, renew, resuscitate, revive, revivify, rouse, rousing, secure, seminal, sensibilize, sensitize, set in motion, set up, sharpen, snap up, spark, spirit up, spur, stimulating, stimulative, stir, stir up, stirring, suggestive, summon forth, summon up, tantalize, tickle, titillate, tonic, vitalize, vitalizing, vivify, wake up, waken, wangle, wangle out of, warm, whet, whip up, winkle out, worm out, worm out of, zip up
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