Contents -AUTHOR INDEX -BIBLIOGRAPHIC RECORD

Mawson, C.O.S., ed. (1870–1938). Roget’s International Thesaurus. 1922.

Class VI. Words Relating to the Sentient and Moral Powers
Section I. Affections in General
Section IV. Possessive Relations

824. Excitation.

   NOUN:EXCITATION OF FEELING; mental -, excitement; suscitation [obs.], suscitability [obs.], galvanism, high pressure, stimulation, piquancy, provocation, inspiration, calling forth, infection; animation, agitation, perturbation; subjugation, fascination, intoxication, enravishment, ravishment, entrancement; unction, impressiveness &c. adj.
  trial of temper, casus belli [L.], irritation (anger) [See Resentment]; passion &c. (state of excitability) [See Excitability]; thrill (feeling) [See Feeling]; repression of feeling [See Inexcitability].
  emotional appeal, melodrama; great moment, crisis; sensationalism, yellow journalism.
   VERB:EXCITE, affect, touch, move, impress, strike, interest, animate, inspire, impassion, smite, infect; stir -, fire -, warm- the blood; set astir; awake, wake; awaken, waken; call forth; evoke, provoke; raise up, summon up, call up, wake up, blow up, get up, light up; raise; get up the steam, rouse, arouse, stir, fire, kindle, enkindle, illumine, illuminate, apply the torch, set on fire, inflame.
  STIMULATE; exuscitate or exsuscitate [both obs.], suscitate [obs.]; inspirit; spirit up, stir up, work up; infuse life into, give new life to; bring -, introduce- new blood; quicken; sharpen, whet; work upon (incite) [See Motive]; hurry on, give a fillip, fillip, put on one’s mettle.
  fan the -fire, – flame; blow the coals, stir the embers; fan, fan into a flame; foster, heat, warm, foment, raise to a fever heat; keep up, keep the pot boiling; revive, rekindle; rake up, rip up.
  intoxicate, overwhelm, overpower, bouleverser [F.], upset, turn one’s head; fascinate; enrapture &c. (give pleasure) [See Pleasurableness].
  PENETRATE, pierce; stir -, play on -, come home to- the feelings; touch -a string, – a chord, – the soul, – the heart; go to one’s heart, go through one, open the wound, turn the knife in the wound; touch to the quick; possess -, pervade -, imbue -, penetrate -, imbrue [obs.] -, absorb -, affect -, disturb- the soul; rivet the attention; sink into the -mind, – heart; absorb; prey on the mind.
  AGITATE, perturb, ruffle, fluster, flutter, flurry, shake, disturb, startle, shock, stagger; give one a -shock, – turn; strike all of a heap [colloq.], strike dumb, stun, astound, electrify, galvanize, petrify.
  IRRITATE, sting; cut; cut to the -heart, – quick; try one’s temper; fool to the top of one’s bent, pique; infuriate, madden, make one’s blood boil; lash into fury (wrath) [See Resentment].
  BE EXCITED &c. adj.; flash up, flare up; catch the infection; thrill (feel) [See Feeling]; mantle; work oneself up; seethe, boil, simmer, foam, fume, flame, rage, rave; run mad (passion) [See Excitability]; run amuck.
   ADJECTIVE:EXCITED &c. v.; wrought up, on the qui vive, astir, sparkling; in a -quiver [See Feeling], – fever, – ferment, – blaze, – state of excitement; in hysterics; black in the face, overwrought; hot, red-hot, flushed, feverish; all of a -flutter, – twitter; all in a pucker [colloq.]; with quivering lips, with trembling lips, with twitching lips, with tears in one’s eyes.
  RAGING, flaming; boiling, – over; ebullient, seething; foaming, – at the mouth; fuming; stung to the quick; on one’s high ropes; on one’s high horse; carried away by passion, wild, raving, frantic, mad, amuck, distracted, beside oneself, out of one’s wits, ready to burst, bouleversé [F.], demoniacal.
  LOST, éperdu [F.], tempest-tossed; haggard; ready to sink.
  EXCITING &c. v.; impressive, warm, glowing, fervid, swelling, imposing, spirit-stirring, thrilling; high-wrought; soul-stirring, soul-subduing; heart-stirring, heart-swelling, heart-thrilling; agonizing (painful) [See Painfulness]; telling, sensational, melodramatic, hysterical; overpowering, overwhelming; more than flesh and blood can bear; yellow.
  piquant (pungent) [See Pungency]; spicy, appetizing, stinging, provocative, provoquant [F.], tantalizing.
   ADVERB:at a critical -moment, – period, – point; under a sudden strain; with heart-interest [cant]; with plenty of pep [slang], with a punch [slang]; till one is black in the face.
   QUOTATIONS:

The heart -beating high, – going pitapat, – leaping into one’s mouth.

The blood -being up, – boiling in one’s veins.

The eye -glistening, – “In a fine frenzy rolling.”—Midsummer Night’s Dream

The Powers That stir men’s spirits, waking or asleep, To thoughts like planets and to acts like flowers.—Masefield

I ha’ harpit ye up to the throne o’ God.—Kipling

I tried to force a note that was beyond its power, that is why the harp-string is broken.—Tagore

My senses swooned in ecstasy.—Tagore

Contents -AUTHOR INDEX -BIBLIOGRAPHIC RECORD