Also 5–6 exce-, excitacion, -ioun, excytacyon. [a. F. excitation, ad. L. excitātiōn-em, n. of action f. excitāre to EXCITE.]
1. The action of exciting (in various senses of the verb); an instance of this. † By (a person’s) excitation: at (a person’s) instigation. rare or arch. in general sense.
c. 1400. Maundev. (Roxb.), xxxi. 139. Thurgh comforth of þaire wordes and þe excitacioun of þaim, we schrafe vs clene and herd messe.
1462. Edw. IV., in Ellis, Orig. Lett., II. 41, I. 127. The malicious counseyle and exitacion of Margaret his wife.
c. 1489. Caxton, Blanchardyn, xx. (1890), 69. The … impetuous excitacions, that often tymes thy messangers made vnto me.
1548. Hall, Chron., 99. A man, that … confessed, that he was there by myne excitacion.
1587. Fleming, Contn. Holinshed, III. 1413/1. Bookes conteining false, seditious, and slanderous matter … to the excitation of insurrection.
c. 1630. Jackson, Creed, IV. iii. Wks. III. 462. The excitation of God’s gifts in us, whereby we are united to Christ.
1681–6. J. Scott, Chr. Life (1747), III. 95. His Excitation of the Graces of Prayer in us, is called his making Intercession for us.
1788. V. Knox, Winter Even., xlv. The alternate excitation of hope and fear is attended with considerable delight.
1836–7. Sir W. Hamilton, Metaph., xxx. (1870), II. 214. The ceaseless excitation of the mind to new knowledge.
b. In various physical senses: † the process of setting in motion; † contagion (of a putrid substance); calling forth (of heat, sound, etc.); the exciting (an organ or tissue) by an external stimulus.
1541. R. Copland, Guydon’s Form., T iv. The helpes for woundes composed with corrupte sores are they that requyre excytacyon.
1557. Sarum Primer, E iv. Rejoyse, bicause he ascended … into heaven again By his proper excitacion.
1626. Bacon, Sylva, § 330. The Second [means to induce Putrefaction] is by Inuitation or Excitation; as when a Rotten Apple lieth close to another Apple that is Sound.
1831. Brewster, Nat. Magic, xiii. 331. Highly expansive elements … called into tremendous action by the excitation of heat.
1862. H. Spencer, First Princ. (1867), § 79. The order of excitation is from muscles that are small … to those which are larger.
1866. Huxley, Physiol., ix. (1872), 222. The excitation of the retina proper.
2. A means of excitement, an influence that excites; a stimulus, encouragement, instigation. arch.
1627–77. Feltham, Resolves, I. lxxxviii. 136. As the Spartans used it [music], it served still for an excitation to Valor, and Honorable actions.
1670. Devout Commun. (1688), 65. Descend into my heart by the excitations of thy grace.
1755. Taylor, Lett., in E. Law, Th. Relig., 402. The subject yields … the warmest, and strongest excitations to piety.
1817. Mar. Edgeworth, Ormond, xxiii. (1832), 280. Tommy, with this excitation … soon got to the head of his class.
1819. Southey, Lett. (1856), III. 163. Here is a fellow publishing the most direct excitations to assassination and rebellion.
1877. Mrs. Oliphant, Makers Flor., viii. 212. His example was a continued stimulant and excitation to his brethren in religion.
3. The state of being excited, excitement; an instance of this. Now somewhat rare.
1393. Gower, Conf., III. 20. They two [Galba and Vitelle] through her dronkenhede Of witles excitation Oppressed all the nacion Of Spaine.
1638. Rouse, Heav. Univ., v. (1702), 49. Kindling them unto a more Incentive Excitation.
1698. trans. Fénelon’s Maxims of Saints, 53. All hasty and unquiet Excitation fore-running Grace.
1830. Coleridge, Table-t., 1 May. It is said that every excitation is followed by a commensurate exhaustion.
1876. Geo. Eliot, Dan. Der., III. xxiii. His temperament was still in a state of excitation.
4. Electricity and Magnetism. The action or process of inducing an electric or magnetic condition; the condition so induced.
1656. trans. Hobbes’ Elem. Philos. (1839), 526. As for jet, it must first be excited by rubbing … whereas the loadstone hath sufficient excitation from its own nature.
1709. F. Hauksbee, Phys.-Mech. Exper., II. (1719), 71. The Easie Excitation of the Electrical Matter.
1822. Imison, Sc. & Art, I. 322. The simple rubber … will produce a very slight excitation of the cylinder.
1846. J. Joyce, Sci. Dial., iii. Electr. 359. Electrical machines … so formed as, by excitation to collect Electricity.
1871. Tyndall, Fragm. Sc. (ed. 6), I. xiii. 375. Its polar excitation, is at once manifested.
