agitation

From French agitation, from Latin agitātiō (“movement, agitation”).

• (UK) IPA^(key): /ad͡ʒɪˈteɪʃ(ə)n/
• (US) IPA^(key): /æ.d͡ʒɪˈteɪ.ʃən/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

• Rhymes: -eɪʃən

agitation (countable and uncountable, plural agitations)

1. The act of agitating, or the state of being agitated; the state of being moved with violence, or with irregular action; commotion.

   After a storm the sea is in agitation.

2. A stirring up or arousing; disturbance of tranquillity; disturbance of mind which shows itself by physical excitement; perturbation.

   She causes great agitation within me.

3. Excitement of public feeling by discussion, appeals, etc.

   the antislavery agitation

   labor agitation

   After this conflict pro-independence agitation temporarily died down.

   • (Can we date this quote?) William H. Prescott:

     […] religious agitations […]

4. Examination or consideration of a subject in controversy, or of a plan proposed for adoption; earnest discussion; debate.
   • (Can we date this quote?) Roger L'Estrange:

     […] a logical agitation of the matter […]

   • (Can we date this quote?) Jonathan Swift:

     […] the project now in agitation […]

• emotion, commotion, excitement, trepidation, tremor, perturbation

• agitation in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.

agitation c (singular definite agitationen, plural indefinite agitationer)

1. agitation

• “agitation” in Den Danske Ordbog

Borrowed from Latin agitatio. Surface analysis: agiter +‎ -ation.

• IPA^(key): /a.ʒi.ta.sjɔ̃/

• Audio

  (file)

agitation f (plural agitations)

1. choppiness (of water), turbulence (in air), swaying (of branch etc.)
2. restlessness
3. bustle (of street, room etc.); activity
4. (nervous) agitation
5. (social) unrest

• “agitation” in le Trésor de la langue française informatisé (The Digitized Treasury of the French Language).