The Open Dictionary

stir

noun

UK/stɜːʳ/
US/stɝː/

Definitions of stir noun

mix

  1. CountableUsually singular

    the act of stirring a liquid or other substance in order to mix it

    • Could you give the soup a quick stir?

    • Please give the sauce a little stir before adding the tomatoes.

    • Give the drink a gentle stir to dissolve the sugar.

excitement

  1. Uncountableinformal

    a lot of interest or excitement

    • The premiere of the movie caused quite a stir.

    • The new policy created a stir within the community.

    • The celebrity's appearance caused a stir.

march

  1. CountableUsually singular

    an occasion when a group of people march or stand together to show that they disagree with or support something or someone; a demonstration

    • The students organized a stir to protest the increase in tuition fees.

    • The workers staged a stir demanding better working conditions.

    • They organized a stir in support of environmental protection.

verb

UK/stɜːʳ/
US/stɝː/

Definitions of stir verb

mix

  1. B1TransitiveIntransitive

    to mix a liquid or other substance by moving an object such as a spoon in a circular pattern

    • Ensure all the ingredients are fully mixed while stirring.

    • Stir the sauce before adding other ingredients.

    • Please stir gently until the sugar is completely dissolved.

move

  1. C2TransitiveIntransitive

    to move or to cause something to move slightly

    • A gentle breeze stirred the curtains.

    • The cat stirred in its sleep.

    • He stirred slightly at the sound of her voice.

  2. Intransitive

    to wake up or begin to move or take action

    • He didn't stir until noon.

    • Come on, stir yourselves, or we’ll be late!

    • She tried to wake him up, but he didn't stir.

cause emotion

  1. C2Transitive

    If something stirs you, it makes you feel a strong emotion.

    • The ending of the movie deeply stirred me.

    • The song stirred memories of my childhood.

    • The speech stirred us to strive for excellence.

  2. Intransitiveliterary

    If an emotion stirs within you, you begin to feel it.

    • A sense of hope began to stir within her.

    • Love began to stir within her heart.

    • A new sense of determination was stirring within him.

  3. Intransitiveinformal

    to cause trouble intentionally between other people, especially by telling false or secret information

    • He enjoys stirring things up, which leads to conflicts between colleagues.

    • She always tries to stir things up between her friends.

    • Don't pay attention to them, they are just stirring.

Idioms

  • stir the blood

    To stir the blood means to cause a feeling of excitement or exhilaration.

    • Adventure movies always stir the blood of the audience.

Phrasal Verbs of stir

  • stir something up

    to initiate or escalate an unpleasant emotion or issue

    • His comments stirred up a dispute among colleagues.