My foot I had never yet in five days been able to
stir. --Sir W.
Temple.
2. To disturb the relative position of the particles of, as
of a liquid, by passing something through it; to agitate;
as, to stir a pudding with a spoon.
My mind is troubled, like a fountain stirred.
--Shak.
3. To bring into debate; to agitate; to moot.
Stir not questions of jurisdiction. --Bacon.
4. To incite to action; to arouse; to instigate; to prompt;
to excite. ``To stir men to devotion.'' --Chaucer.
An Ate, stirring him to blood and strife. --Shak.
And for her sake some mutiny will stir. --Dryden.
Note: In all senses except the first, stir is often followed
by up with an intensive effect; as, to stir up fire; to
stir up sedition.
Syn: To move; incite; awaken; rouse; animate; stimulate;
excite; provoke.
I had not power to stir or strive, But felt that I
was still alive. --Byron.
2. To be in motion; to be active or bustling; to exert or
busy one's self.
All are not fit with them to stir and toil. --Byron.
The friends of the unfortunate exile, far from
resenting his unjust suspicions, were stirring
anxiously in his behalf. --Merivale.
3. To become the object of notice; to be on foot.
They fancy they have a right to talk freely upon
everything that stirs or appears. --I. Watts.
4. To rise, or be up, in the morning. [Colloq.] --Shak.
Why all these words, this clamor, and this stir?
--Denham.
Consider, after so much stir about genus and
species, how few words we have yet settled
definitions of. --Locke.
2. Public disturbance or commotion; tumultuous disorder;
seditious uproar.
Being advertised of some stirs raised by his
unnatural sons in England. --Sir J.
Davies.
3. Agitation of thoughts; conflicting passions.