ex ‧ cite /ɪkˈsaɪt/ BrE AmE verb [transitive]
[ Word Family: adjective : ↑ excitable , ↑ excited , ↑ exciting ≠ ↑ unexciting , ↑ excitable ; noun : ↑ excitement , ↑ excitability ; adverb : ↑ excitedly , ↑ excitingly ; verb : ↑ excite ]
[ Date: 1300-1400 ; Language: French ; Origin: exciter , from Latin excitare , from citare 'to set in movement' ]
1 . [not in progressive] to make someone feel happy, interested, or eager:
His playing is technically brilliant, but it doesn’t excite me.
2 . formal to cause a particular feeling or reaction SYN arouse
excite interest/curiosity/sympathy etc
The court case has excited a lot of public interest.
He tried not to do anything to excite the suspicion of the police.
excite comment/speculation/a reaction
The book excited very little comment.
3 . to make someone feel sexual desire SYN arouse
4 . technical to make an organ, nerve etc in your body react or increase its activity
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COLLOCATIONS (for Meaning 2)
■ nouns
▪ excite interest
She is a talented young actress who has excited a lot of interest.
▪ excite curiosity
Rumours of hidden treasure excited our curiosity.
▪ excite sympathy
She sought to excite the jury's sympathy at every possible opportunity.
▪ excite anger
The government's proposals have excited anger among teachers.
▪ excite hatred/hostility
He accused sections of the media of trying to excite racial hatred.
▪ excite a reaction
The figures are unlikely to excite any reaction on the money markets.
▪ excite comments
The film excited a lot of favourable comments, both here and in America.
▪ excite rumours British English , excite rumors AmE:
The photographs excited rumours that their marriage is over.
▪ excite speculation (=encourage people to discuss something when they do not know the facts)
The cut in US interest rates excited speculation of a similar cut in the UK.