US /stɝ/ UK /stɜː/
verb Freq #6657

Meanings

  1. 1
    verb

    To mix a liquid or soft food by moving a spoon or other object around in it.

    She stirred the soup with a wooden spoon.

  2. 2
    verb

    To cause strong feelings in someone; to move emotionally.

    The film stirred deep memories of her childhood.

  3. 3
    verb

    To encourage people to take action, often trouble.

    His angry speech stirred the crowd into protest.

Thesaurus

Synonyms
1 verb · to mix a liquid or soft... agitate
2 verb · to cause strong feelings in... touchmove
3 verb · to encourage people to take... arouseinciteprovoke
Word family
Forms stirredstirringstirs
Derived forms astirbestiroverstirrestirstiraboutstirlessstirrablestirragestirrerunderstirunstirunstirred

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *(s)twerH- Proto-Indo-European *(s)twr̥H-yé-ti? Proto-Germanic *sturjaną Proto-West Germanic *sturjan Old English styrian Middle English stiren English stir From Middle English stiren, sturien, steren, from Old English styrian (“to be in motion, move, agitate, stir, disturb, trouble”), from Proto-Germanic *sturiz (“turmoil, noise, confusion”), related to Proto-West Germanic *staurijan (“to destroy, disturb”). Cognate with Old Norse styrr (“turmoil, noise, confusion”), German stören (“to disturb”), Dutch storen (“to disturb”).

View etymology graph ->

Topics

markdown

Send feedback

Optional — only if you'd like a reply.