搖動看得見的東西
這一家就是核心畫面本身，沒有比喻。手或機器讓液體快速動起來，東西才會混合。其他兩家都可以從這裡出發去想。
verb · C1
To shake or stir a liquid or a mixture quickly, so that it keeps moving and the parts mix together.
攪動、搖動（液體）
核心畫面
Picture a hand shaking a jar: the liquid inside will not sit still. Agitate can be seen as that shaking, carried from a jar to a person and then to a whole town. The water keeps moving. The upset person keeps moving — pacing, talking fast, unable to settle. The group of people keeps making noise until someone in power moves. Three uses that sound far apart, with one action underneath them all: something that was quiet is kept in motion.
agitate 可以想成一隻手在搖罐子：裡面的液體靜不下來。這個「搖」的畫面，先從罐子搬到一個人身上——心被搖動的人…更多收起
agitate 可以想成一隻手在搖罐子：裡面的液體靜不下來。這個「搖」的畫面，先從罐子搬到一個人身上——心被搖動的人坐不住、來回走、講話變快；再從一個人搬到一群人身上——被搖動起來的人不斷發聲，要求上面的人做出改變。三個意思聽起來差很遠，底下其實是同一個動作：讓原本安靜的東西持續動起來。這是一個理解的線索，不是歷史的證明。From the word’s history
The evidence packet traces agitate through Middle English agitat(e) 'set in motion' to Latin agitō 'to put in motion', a frequentative of agō 'to drive, move, push'. That 'keep setting it in motion' idea sits close to the shaking picture above.
證據裡的字源是拉丁文 agitō「使之動起來」，來自 agō（推、驅動）；中古英語 agitat(e) 的意思正是「使開始運動」。這條線索和上面「一直讓它動」的畫面很接近，可以拿來幫助記憶。
Wiktionary entry 'agitate' (verb), source_ref kaikki:3f6f69a190036ae4:442214832:25450, supplied in the evidence packet
Two branches
搖動人的心與人群
把搖罐子的動作換一個受詞：先是一個人的心，再來是一群人的行動。共通點是「靜不下來」——被搖動的東西不會回到原來安靜的樣子。
verb · C1
To make someone feel so worried, upset or angry that they cannot stay calm or keep still.
使心神不寧
原始詞典資料6 筆記錄
以下是外部詞典記錄的用法，原文照列，我們還沒有寫成教學內容。上面的說明才是我們自己寫的；有些用法可能上面已經講過了。
agitateverb/ˈæ.d͡ʒɪ.teɪt/
- 1
To disturb or excite; to perturb or stir up (a person).
- He was greatly agitated by the news.
- 2
To cause to move with a violent, irregular action; to shake.
- to agitate water in a vessel
- The wind agitates the sea.
- 3
To participate in political agitation (sense 3).
- NAMBLA is working to build a coalition of gay, lesbian, progressive and civil liberties groups to agitate against the increasing state attacks on gay men who associate with boys.
- 4
obsoleteTo set in motion; to actuate.
- 5
archaicTo discuss or debate.
- Your speech at the time a bill for the regency was agitated now lies before me.
- 6
archaicTo mull over, or think deeply about; to consider, to devise.
- Politicians agitate desperate designs.
資料來源：英文維基詞典 English Wiktionary（CC BY-SA 4.0）。 原文照列，未經改寫。