# stir

Pronunciation: say "STUR" US /stɝ/, UK/AUS /stɜː/

## Verb

1. To move the particles of a liquid around by passing an object such as a spoon through it.
   - Simple: To move a liquid around with a spoon or stick.
   - _Stir the batter until no lumps remain._
   - _He stirred the paint thoroughly before applying the first coat._
2. To move around the contents of a container by passing an object through it.
   - Simple: To mix what is inside a pot or bowl by moving a spoon through it.
   - _Stir the jar of paint until the color is even._
   - _She stirred the cauldron of stew with a long wooden ladle._
4. To affect someone emotionally; to touch or move them deeply.
   - Simple: To make someone feel a strong emotion deep inside.
   - _The film stirred audiences across the country._
   - _A powerful sermon can stir the heart of any listener._
5. To rouse someone into action; to spur them to do something.
   - Simple: To make people want to act or do something.
   - _Her call to arms stirred the villagers into open revolt._
   - _Stir the recruits to fight for the cause._
6. To begin moving gently after being still or at rest.
   - Simple: To start to move a little after being still.
   - _Not a creature stirred in the silent house._
   - _The sleeping dog will stir at the slightest sound._
8. To start to rise up inside someone, used of a feeling or emotion.
   - Simple: Of a feeling, to start to grow inside someone.
   - _Old resentments stirred as the brothers argued again._
   - _Excitement will stir among the fans before the match._
9. To be in motion; to be active and busy; to exert oneself.
   - Simple: To be busy and active, moving about and doing things.
   - _By six o'clock the household was already stirring._
   - _Merchants stir at dawn to set up their stalls._
10. To wake and begin to move after sleep or unconsciousness.
   - Simple: To wake up and begin to move after sleep.
   - _The children stir early on Christmas morning._
   - _He stirred from a deep sleep, blinking at the light._
13. To bring a matter into debate; to raise it for argument.
   - Simple: To bring up a topic so people argue about it.
   - _The editorial stirred a fresh debate about public funding._
   - _He loves to stir controversial topics at every meeting._

## Noun

3. The act or result of moving the particles of a liquid around, as with a spoon.
   - Simple: The action of moving a liquid around with a spoon.
   - _A quick stir of the pot kept the rice from sticking._
   - _One firm stir of the mixture blended the powder into the water._
7. Bustling activity, noise, and movement; general commotion.
   - Simple: A lot of busy movement and noise in a place.
   - _A constant stir of footsteps and voices filled the great hall._
   - _By dawn the camp was alive with stir and movement._
11. Agitated public excitement or disorder, sometimes reaching the level of a rebellious uproar.
   - Simple: Trouble and noise made by an angry crowd of people.
   - _The verdict raised a stir that spread through the whole city._
   - _Their bold protest made quite a stir at the capital._
12. An agitation of the thoughts; a turmoil of conflicting passions.
   - Simple: A troubled, mixed-up state of feelings and thoughts.
   - _A stir of hope and fear filled her as she waited._
   - _His thoughts were thrown into a stir by the sudden news._
14. Prison or jail, where someone is locked up to serve a sentence. *(slang)*
   - Simple: An informal word for prison or jail.
   - _She did a long stretch in stir before going straight._
   - _The two brothers met again in stir, years after the heist._

## Verb

15. To change the position of something; to move it. *(dated)*
   - Simple: To move something from one place to another.
   - _He refused to stir a foot from the doorway._
   - _They stirred the old furniture out of the burning house._
16. To disturb or disrupt the calm or order of something. *(obsolete)*
   - Simple: To upset or break the calm of something.
   - _Loud voices stirred the quiet of the abbey at midnight._
   - _He feared that any word might stir the fragile peace between them._

## Origin

**Meanings 1–13, 15–16** — From Middle English stiren, from Old English styrian ("to be in motion, move, agitate, stir, disturb"), from Proto-Germanic *sturiz ("turmoil, noise, confusion"). It is related to German stören and Dutch storen, both meaning "to disturb."
**Meaning 14** — From Romani stariben ("prison"), formed from (a)star ("seize"), a causative of ast ("remain"), probably from Sanskrit ātiṣṭhati ("stand or remain by"), from tiṣṭhati ("stand").

Source: DictionaryAI, https://dictionaryai.com/define/stir (written from Wiktionary data, CC BY-SA 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).