[1] : The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48

activate \ac"tivate\, v. t.
   to make active. obs.
   1913 webster

[2] : WordNet (r) 2.0

activate
     v 1: put in motion or move to act; "trigger a reaction"; "actuate
          the circuits" syn: trip, actuate, trigger, set
          off, spark off, spark, trigger off, touch off
     2: make active or more active; "activate an old file" ant: inactivate
     3: make more adsorptive; "activate a metal"
     4: aerate sewage so as to favor the growth of organisms that
        decompose organic matter syn: aerate
     5: make substances radioactive
see also:
trip actuate trigger set off spark off spark 
trigger off touch off inactivate aerate 

[3] : Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0

42 moby thesaurus words for "activate":
   accelerate, actuate, animate, arouse, atomize, awaken, bombard,
   charge, cleave, contaminate, cross-bombard, energize, fission,
   galvanize, get going, impel, infect, initiate, irradiate, mobilize,
   motivate, move, nucleize, poison, prompt, radiumize, rally,
   reactivate, recharge, remilitarize, rouse, set going,
   set in motion, smash the atom, start, stimulate, stir, switch on,
   trigger, turn on, wake, waken

Activate >> A Words
Activate, definition of term: Activate
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