ENGLISH
REFERENCE

animate

v.
B2 Upper Intermediate US //ˈænəˌmeɪt// an·i·mate

v. to bring something to life or make it move. You use this when talking about making cartoons or giving energy to a conversation.

v. to impart life, motion, or vigor to something; to produce as an animated cartoon.


SIMPLE

The studio uses new software to animate the characters.

CONTEXTUAL

A shared passion for local history began to animate the discussion, turning a quiet dinner into a lively debate.

COMPLEX

The director sought to animate the ancient myth by blending traditional hand-drawn techniques with modern digital effects to create a sense of fluid, ethereal movement.

Synonyms
Antonyms
Origin

From Middle English animat(e), from Latin animātus, perfect passive participle of animō (“to fill with breath, quicken, encourage, animate”) (see -ate (adjective-forming suffix)), from anima (“soul, spirit, breath”); see anima. The verb derives from the adjective, see -ate (verb-forming suffix).

Usage

The verb is transitive and requires a direct object.

Pitfall

The movie was very animate.The movie was very animated.Learners often use the base verb form instead of the participial adjective 'animated' to describe a finished work or a person's state.

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