agitation

/ˌædʒɪˈteɪʃn/ (bre, ipa) · /ˌædʒɪˈteɪʃn/ (ame, ipa) · /ˌa-jə-ˈtā-shən/ (ame, mw)

agitation — 名詞

1. a state of nervous unease in which someone feels worried, cannot stay still, and

1.名詞B2
釋義

焦躁不安

因憂慮而無法保持冷靜的緊張狀態

a state of nervous unease in which someone feels worried, cannot stay still, and shows visible signs of inner tension

例句

Ingrid's agitation grew as the flight kept getting delayed.

隨著航班不斷延誤，Ingrid 越來越焦躁不安。

possessive + intransitive: [person]'s agitation grew as [clause]

The doctor noticed Joel's agitation and asked if he needed a moment to breathe.

醫生注意到 Joel 的焦躁，問他是否需要片刻時間緩一緩。

collocation: noticed [person]'s agitation

同義詞
  • anxiety

    broader and can be entirely internal; agitation implies visible restless behaviour

  • restlessness

    focuses on inability to stay still but lacks the worry element

  • unease

    milder and more vague; agitation is sharper and more physically obvious

反義詞
  • calm

    a state of stillness and peace, the direct opposite of agitated tension

  • composure

    steady self-control, especially under pressure

文法句型

agitation + at/about + noun phrase

in + agitation

用法筆記

Uncountable. Often preceded by possessive determiners (her agitation, the patient's agitation). Distinguish from sense 2, which describes collective public action rather than individual emotional state.

常見錯誤

❌He had many agitations before the speech.
✅He felt great agitation before the speech.
💡In this sense, agitation is uncountable; do not use in the plural.

2. organized public action — such as protests, marches, or sustained campaigns — ai

2.名詞C1
釋義

公開抗爭

為推動政治或社會變革而組織的公眾抗議

organized public action — such as protests, marches, or sustained campaigns — aimed at bringing about political or social change

例句

Student agitation for climate action filled the streets of Warsaw last spring.

去年春天，學生為氣候行動展開的公開抗爭擠滿了華沙街頭。

agitation for [cause] — preposition pattern for political demands

The government faced growing agitation from farmers demanding fairer prices.

政府面臨農民要求公平價格的日益高漲的抗爭。

同義詞
  • protest

    more direct, often a single event; agitation suggests a sustained campaign

  • activism

    broader term covering all forms of political action, not only public demonstrations

  • campaign

    implies a structured, goal-oriented effort; agitation can be more spontaneous

反義詞

文法句型

agitation + for/against + cause

agitation + by + group

用法筆記

Uncountable. Typically followed by 'for' or 'against' plus the cause. The subject is usually a group or movement. More formal than 'protest'.

常見錯誤

❌Her personal agitation against the new tax.
✅She joined the public agitation against the new tax.
💡Sense 2 describes collective action, not an individual's feeling.

3. the action of stirring or shaking something — typically a liquid — back and fort

3.名詞C1
釋義

攪動

攪拌或搖晃物體（尤指液體）的動作

the action of stirring or shaking something — typically a liquid — back and forth or around, often to mix its contents

例句

Gentle agitation of the test tube helped the powder dissolve in the water.

輕輕攪動試管有助於粉末在水中溶解。

collocation: gentle agitation + technical context (test tube, dissolve)

The washing machine's agitation cycle loosened the dirt from the heavy blankets.

洗衣機的攪動程序鬆開了厚毯子上的污垢。

同義詞
  • stirring

    gentler and more common in everyday cooking; agitation implies a more vigorous or sustained action

  • shaking

    more general and less technical; agitation often implies a continuous back-and-forth motion

  • mixing

    broader term; agitation specifically describes the motion itself rather than the result

反義詞

文法句型

agitation + of + substance

gentle/slow/constant + agitation

用法筆記

Uncountable. Used mainly in technical or scientific contexts (chemistry, manufacturing). For everyday actions, 'stirring' or 'shaking' is more common.

常見錯誤

❌Constant agitation of the crowd worried the police.
✅The growing agitation of the crowd worried the police.
💡When describing people, agitation means emotional unrest (sense 1), not physical shaking (sense 3).