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| Language: | Old English |
| Origin: | styrian |
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stir1 S3 W3
past tense and past participle stirred, present participle stirring
past tense and past participle stirred, present participle stirring1 to move a liquid or substance around with a spoon or stick in order to mix it together : Stir the paint to make sure it is smooth.
mix
[transitive]Stir the paint to make sure it is smooth.2 to move slightly or to make something move slightly : The crowd began to stir as they waited for the band to start. A gentle breeze stirred the curtains.
move slightly
[intransitive and transitive]The crowd began to stir as they waited for the band to start.A gentle breeze stirred the curtains.3 to leave or move from a place : He hadn't stirred from his chair all morning.
leave a place
[intransitive]He hadn't stirred from his chair all morning.4
feelings
a) [transitive] to make someone have a strong feeling or reaction
stir memories/emotions etc Looking at the photographs stirred childhood memories of the long hot summers.
Looking at the photographs stirred childhood memories of the long hot summers.b) [intransitive] if a feeling stirs in you, you begin to feel it : Excitement stirred inside her.
Excitement stirred inside her.5 to make someone start doing something
do something
[transitive]6 to cause trouble between people by spreading false or secret information : Ben's always stirring!
cause trouble
be stirring (it)
British English informalBen's always stirring!stir somebody/something ↔ up
phrasal verb1 to deliberately try to cause arguments or bad feelings between people :
2 to make small pieces of something move around in the air or in water : The wind had stirred up a powdery red dust.
The wind had stirred up a powdery red dust.