enervate
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enervate
deprive of vitality; weaken: Constant worry will enervate you.
Not to be confused with:
energize – give energy to; to put out energy: A brisk walk in the cold air will energize you.
invigorate – give vigor, vitality, or strength: Weight-lifting will invigorate you.
Abused, Confused, & Misused Words by Mary Embree Copyright © 2007, 2013 by Mary Embree
en·er·vate
(ĕn′ər-vāt′)tr.v. en·er·vat·ed, en·er·vat·ing, en·er·vates
1. To weaken or destroy the strength or vitality of: "the luxury which enervates and destroys nations" (Henry David Thoreau).
2. Medicine To remove a nerve or part of a nerve.
adj. (ĭ-nûr′vĭt)
Deprived of strength; debilitated.
en′er·va′tion n.
en′er·va′tive adj.
en′er·va′tor n.
Usage Note: Sometimes people mistakenly use enervate to mean "to invigorate" or "to excite" by assuming that this word is a close cousin of the verb energize. In fact enervate does not come from the same source as energize (Greek energos, "active"). It comes from Latin nervus, "sinew." Thus enervate means "to cause to become 'out of muscle' ," that is, "to weaken or deplete of strength."
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
enervate
vb
(tr) to deprive of strength or vitality; weaken physically or mentally; debilitate
adj
deprived of strength or vitality; weakened
[C17: from Latin ēnervāre to remove the nerves from, from nervus nerve, sinew]
ˌenerˈvation n
ˈenerˌvative adj
ˈenerˌvator n
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014
en•er•vate
(v. ˈɛn ərˌveɪt; adj. ɪˈnɜr vɪt)v. -vat•ed, -vat•ing,
adj. v.t.
1. to deprive of force or strength; destroy the vigor of; weaken.
adj. 2. lacking strength or vitality; enervated.
[1595–1605; < Latin ēnervātus, past participle of ēnervāre=ē- e- + -nervāre, derivative of nervus sinew (see nerve)]
en`er•va′tion, n.
en′er•va`tive, adj.
en′er•va`tor, n.
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
See also related terms for stimulate.
Farlex Trivia Dictionary. © 2012 Farlex, Inc. All rights reserved.
enervate
Past participle: enervated
Gerund: enervating
| Imperative |
|---|
| enervate |
| enervate |
Collins English Verb Tables © HarperCollins Publishers 2011
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Switch to new thesaurus
| Verb | 1. | enervate - weaken mentally or morally weaken - lessen the strength of; "The fever weakened his body" |
| 2. |  enervate - disturb the composure of unman - cause to lose one's nerve; "an unmanning experience" |
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
enervate
verbTo lessen or deplete the nerve, energy, or strength of:
The American Heritage® Roget's Thesaurus. Copyright © 2013, 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Translations
Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005
enervate
vt (physically) → entkräften, schwächen; (mentally) → entnerven, enervieren (geh)
Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007
Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995
enervate
vt. extirpar un nervio;
debilitar, enervar.
English-Spanish Medical Dictionary © Farlex 2012