accelerate

Meanings

1. 1
   verb

   to move faster

   The car accelerated around the track.

2. 2
   verb

   to cause to move faster

   I accelerated the car.

3. 3
   verb

   To quicken the natural or ordinary progression or process of.

   to accelerate the growth of a plant, the increase of wealth, etc.

4. 4
   verb

   To hasten, as the occurrence of an event.

   to accelerate our departure

5. 5
   verb

   To become faster; to begin to move more quickly.

   The car began to accelerate as soon as the light turned green.

6. 6
   adj

   Accelerated; quickened; hastened; hurried.

   ... a general knowledg of the definition of motion, and of the distinction of natural and violent, even and accelerate, and the like, sufficing.

7. 7
   verb

   To cause to move faster; to quicken the motion of; to add to the speed of.

8. 8
   verb

   To cause a change of velocity.

Etymology

First attested in the 1520s. Either from Latin accelerātus, perfect passive participle of accelerō (“to accelerate, hasten”) (see -ate (verb-forming suffix) and -ate (adjective-forming suffix)), formed from ad + celerō (“to hasten”), which is from celer (“quick”) (see celerity), or back-formation from acceleration.