enthuse
[ en-thooz ]
/ ɛnˈθuz /
verb (used without object), en·thused, en·thus·ing.
to be or become enthusiastic; show enthusiasm: All the neighbors enthused over the new baby.
verb (used with object), en·thused, en·thus·ing.
to cause to become enthusiastic.
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Origin of enthuse
1820–30, Americanism; back formation from enthusiasm
usage note for enthuse
The verb enthuse is a 19th-century back formation from the noun enthusiasm. Originally an Americanism, enthuse is now standard and well established in the speech and all but the most formal writing of educated persons, in both Britain and the United States. It is used as a transitive verb meaning “to cause to become enthusiastic” ( The liveliness of the dance enthused the audience ) and as an intransitive verb meaning “to show enthusiasm” ( She enthused warmly over his performance ). Despite its long history and frequent occurrence, however, enthuse is still strongly disapproved of by many.
OTHER WORDS FROM enthuse
qua·si-en·thused, adjectiveun·en·thused, adjectiveDictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020
Example sentences from the Web for enthuse
British Dictionary definitions for enthuse
enthuse
/ (ɪnˈθjuːz) /
verb
to feel or show or cause to feel or show enthusiasm
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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