Commove

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. To incite or instigate movement or relocation while also eliciting a change in emotional state or activity level
2. To trigger a shift from a stationary state to one of activity or movement while also arousing emotional or physical responses
3. To cause physical movement or a disturbance ; to provoke an emotional or physical reaction

Etymology: "Commove" comes from Middle English "commoeven", which was borrowed from Old French "commovoir". The Old French verb is itself rooted in Latin "commovere", built from "com-", meaning "together" or "thoroughly", and "movere", "to move". The sense of the word is therefore a thorough or collective stirring: something set moving all at once, shaking a settled thing out of its place. The English word kept that physical sense for a long time. It was used of bodies, objects and crowds being set into motion, and only later came to cover the stirring of feelings. A person "commoved" is one whose emotions have been roused as well as their body, which is why the modern definition pairs the two. The word has stayed rare in everyday English, so its force comes mostly from that original picture of something settled being jolted into action.

Synonyms: disturb, agitate, excite, stir, trouble

Antonyms: calm, soothe, pacify, settle, quiet