orig. phr. [A prep.1 + STIR sb. Not in any Dict. of 18th c.: not in Todd, 1818; Craig, 1847; Webster, 1864. First in northern writers; perh. anglicized from Sc. ASTEER, q.v.] Stirring. a. esp. Out of bed, up, and moving about.
[1805. Wordsw., Waggoner, I. 23. Hush, there is some one on the stir!]
1823. Lockhart, Reg. Dalton, I. vii. (1842), 34. Astir by eight o’clock.
1831. Scott, Cast. Dang., ii. It is lucky … we have found our friends astir.
1833. Ht. Martineau, Briery Creek, iii. 46. The whole village was early astir.
1850. Mrs. Stowe, Uncle Tom’s C., xxx. 281. Now it is morning, and everybody is astir.
1871. M. Collins, Mrq. & Merch., II. vi. 163. Barly as it is, the world is astir.
b. gen. In motion. c. fig. In excitement.
1837. Carlyle, Fr. Rev., V. v. II. 314. All kings and kinglets … are astir; their brows clouded with menace.
1856. Kane, Arct. Expl., II. i. 17. All hands are astir with their [the winds’] novel influences.
1870. F. Wilson, Ch. Lindisf., 34. The village is astir with sea-faring men.
1878. Huxley, Physiogr., 62. When there is much wind astir.
