actuate

American  

[ak-choo-eyt] / ˈæk tʃuˌeɪt /

verb (used with object)

actuated, actuating

1. to incite or move to action; impel; motivate.

   actuated by selfish motives.

2. to put into action; start a process; turn on.

   to actuate a machine.

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actuate British  

/ ˈæktʃʊˌeɪt /

verb

1. to put into action or mechanical motion

2. to motivate or incite into action

   actuated by unworthy desires

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Other Word Forms

• actuation noun
• actuator noun
• deactuate verb (used with object)
• self-actuating adjective
• unactuated adjective

Etymology

Origin of actuate

First recorded in 1590–1600; from Medieval Latin āctuāt(us) “reduced to action” (past participle of āctuāre ), equivalent to Latin āctu(s) ( act ) + -ātus -ate ¹

Example Sentences

Note that the 12Cilindri doesn’t have a hydraulically actuated spoiler cluttering up the rear aspect.

From The Wall Street Journal

In a statement issued by his lawyer, Wootton said the allegations were "completely spurious - lies designed to destroy my career where complainants were actuated by malice".

From BBC

The researchers replaced the heart muscle in the left chamber with a silicone-made soft robotic pump system actuated by air.

From Science Daily

The MIT researchers wanted a fiber that could actuate silently and change its shape dramatically, while being compatible with common textile manufacturing procedures.

From Science Daily

For starters, you can adjust the point at which its switches actuate and register a keypress.

From The Verge