STIR (stirred, stirring)

Pronunciation (US):

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 Dictionary entry overview: What does stir mean? 

• STIR (noun)
  The noun STIR has 3 senses:

1. a prominent or sensational but short-lived news event

2. emotional agitation and excitement

3. a rapid active commotion

  Familiarity information: STIR used as a noun is uncommon.

• STIR (verb)
  The verb STIR has 8 senses:

1. move an implement through

2. move very slightly

3. stir feelings in

4. stir the feelings, emotions, or peace of

5. affect emotionally

6. summon into action or bring into existence, often as if by magic

7. to begin moving

8. mix or add by stirring

  Familiarity information: STIR used as a verb is common.

 Dictionary entry details 

• STIR (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A prominent or sensational but short-lived news event

Classified under:

Nouns denoting stable states of affairs

Synonyms:

splash; stir

Context example:

he made a great splash and then disappeared

Hypernyms ("stir" is a kind of...):

commotion; disruption; disturbance; flutter; hoo-ha; hoo-hah; hurly burly; kerfuffle; to-do (a disorderly outburst or tumult)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Emotional agitation and excitement

Classified under:

Nouns denoting feelings and emotions

Hypernyms ("stir" is a kind of...):

agitation (the feeling of being agitated; not calm)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "stir"):

sensation (a general feeling of excitement and heightened interest)

electricity (keen and shared excitement)

Derivation:

stir (stir the feelings, emotions, or peace of)

stir (affect emotionally)

stir (stir feelings in)

Sense 3

Meaning:

A rapid active commotion

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Synonyms:

ado; bustle; flurry; fuss; hustle; stir

Hypernyms ("stir" is a kind of...):

commotion; din; ruckus; ruction; rumpus; tumult (the act of making a noisy disturbance)

• STIR (verb)

Conjugation:

Sense 1

Meaning:

Move an implement through

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

Context example:

stir the soil

Hypernyms (to "stir" is one way to...):

displace; move (cause to move or shift into a new position or place, both in a concrete and in an abstract sense)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "stir"):

churn (stir (cream) vigorously in order to make butter)

paddle (stir with a paddle)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

Sentence example:

The chefs stir the vegetables

Derivation:

stirrer (an implement used for stirring)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Move very slightly

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

Synonyms:

agitate; budge; shift; stir

Context example:

He shifted in his seat

Hypernyms (to "stir" is one way to...):

move (move so as to change position, perform a nontranslational motion)

Sentence frames:

Something ----s
Somebody ----s

Sentence examples:

The crowds stir in the streets
The streets stir with crowds

Sense 3

Meaning:

Stir feelings in

Classified under:

Verbs of seeing, hearing, feeling

Synonyms:

excite; stimulate; stir

Context example:

stir emotions

Hypernyms (to "stir" is one way to...):

sensitise; sensitize (cause to sense; make sensitive)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "stir"):

fuck off; jack off; jerk off; masturbate; she-bop; wank (get sexual gratification through self-stimulation)

masturbate (stimulate sexually)

horripilate (cause (someone's) hair to stand on end and to have goosebumps)

work (provoke or excite)

blow; fellate; go down on; suck (provide sexual gratification through oral stimulation)

thrill (cause to be thrilled by some perceptual input)

quicken; whet (make keen or more acute)

disgust; gross out; repel; revolt (fill with distaste)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody
Something ----s somebody

Derivation:

stir (emotional agitation and excitement)

Sense 4

Meaning:

Stir the feelings, emotions, or peace of

Classified under:

Verbs of feeling

Synonyms:

excite; shake; shake up; stimulate; stir

Context example:

the civil war shook the country

Hypernyms (to "stir" is one way to...):

arouse; elicit; enkindle; evoke; fire; kindle; provoke; raise (call forth (emotions, feelings, and responses))

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "stir"):

titillate (excite pleasurably or erotically)

animate; enliven; exalt; inspire; invigorate (heighten or intensify)

elate; intoxicate; lift up; pick up; uplift (fill with high spirits; fill with optimism)

invite; tempt (give rise to a desire by being attractive or inviting)

thrill; tickle; vibrate (feel sudden intense sensation or emotion)

affright; fright; frighten; scare (cause fear in)

arouse; excite; sex; turn on; wind up (stimulate sexually)

fuel (stimulate)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody
Something ----s somebody
Something ----s something

Sentence example:

The performance is likely to stir Sue

Also:

stir up (try to stir up public opinion)

Derivation:

stir (emotional agitation and excitement)

stirrer (a person who spreads frightening rumors and stirs up trouble)

Sense 5

Meaning:

Affect emotionally

Classified under:

Verbs of feeling

Synonyms:

stir; touch

Context example:

I was touched by your kind letter of sympathy

Hypernyms (to "stir" is one way to...):

affect; impress; move; strike (have an emotional or cognitive impact upon)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "stir"):

get (evoke an emotional response)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s somebody
Something ----s somebody

Sentence example:

The performance is likely to stir Sue

Also:

stir up (arouse or excite feelings and passions)

Derivation:

stir (emotional agitation and excitement)

stirring (arousing to a particular emotion or action)

Sense 6

Meaning:

Summon into action or bring into existence, often as if by magic

Classified under:

Verbs of sewing, baking, painting, performing

Synonyms:

arouse; bring up; call down; call forth; conjure; conjure up; evoke; invoke; put forward; raise; stir

Context example:

call down the spirits from the mountain

Hypernyms (to "stir" is one way to...):

call up; summon (cause to become available for use, either literally or figuratively)

Verb group:

call forth; evoke; kick up; provoke (evoke or provoke to appear or occur)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "stir"):

anathemise; anathemize; bedamn; beshrew; curse; damn; imprecate; maledict (wish harm upon; invoke evil upon)

bless (give a benediction to)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

Sense 7

Meaning:

To begin moving

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

Synonyms:

arouse; stir

Context example:

As the thunder started the sleeping children began to stir

Hypernyms (to "stir" is one way to...):

move (move so as to change position, perform a nontranslational motion)

Sentence frames:

Something ----s
Somebody ----s

Sense 8

Meaning:

Mix or add by stirring

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Context example:

Stir nuts into the dough

Hypernyms (to "stir" is one way to...):

work (move into or onto)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something PP

 Context examples 

It was now daylight, but the household was not yet stirring.

(His Last Bow, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

It was Bessie, I knew well enough; but I did not stir; her light step came tripping down the path.

(Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë)

That line stirred him with a profound feeling of gratitude.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

Not a man stirred; not a man answered.

(Treasure Island, by Robert Louis Stevenson)

I tried to warm its feet, and Lotty gave it some milk, but it didn't stir, and I knew it was dead.

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)

It was no wonder that no one was stirring.

(The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

There is no prospect of danger, or I should not dream of stirring out without you.

(The Return of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Many a time in the after days Alleyne Edricson seemed to see that scene, for all that so many which were stranger and more stirring were soon to crowd upon him.

(The White Company, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Then came another stirring of Wolf Larsen’s tremendous strength.

(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)

He could feel a new stir in the land.

(The Call of the Wild, by Jack London)