stir

Everyday

1. To stir is to move a spoon or stick round and round in a liquid or mixture to mix it. tree →
2. To stir can mean to move slightly: The baby stirred in her sleep. tree →
3. A stir is excitement or trouble among people: The news caused a stir. tree →
4. To stir up means to cause trouble or strong feelings. tree →

In the lessons

In cooking and science lessons, stirring helps a solid like sugar or salt dissolve faster in water, and mixes ingredients evenly. In stories, a character stirring means waking or moving; «stirring up trouble» means causing arguments on purpose. Phrases: stir in, stir up, cause a stir, stir-fry.

Examples

• Stir the soup with a wooden spoon. tree →
• Stirring helps the sugar dissolve. tree →
• Stir the paint before you use it. tree →
• The cat stirred and opened one eye. tree →
• The new pupil caused quite a stir. tree →
• Do not stir up trouble in the playground. tree →
• We made a vegetable stir-fry. tree →
• Stir in the eggs slowly. tree →
• She was afraid, and didn't stir. tree →

Note

Past: stirred, stirring (double r). Stirring does not make things dissolve that cannot dissolve (sand), it only speeds it up. Be careful stirring hot pans: use a long spoon and keep the handle turned in.

In Jewish tradition

"Stir up" is often used of God, who is asked to wake and act with his might. It is also used of people who stir up trouble or war.

Interpretation. Tradition reads "stir up Thy might" as a bold prayer. People ask God, who never sleeps, to seem to rouse himself and save Israel.

Examples

• Who devise evil things in their heart; every day do they stir up wars. (Writings PSA.140.3, JPS 1917) tree →
• Before Ephraim and Benjamin and Manasseh, stir up Thy might, and come to save us. (Writings PSA.80.3, JPS 1917) tree →
• None is so fierce that dare stir him up; who then is able to stand before Me? (Writings JOB.41.2, JPS 1917) tree →

Note

Past: stirred, stirring (double r). Stirring does not make things dissolve that cannot dissolve (sand), it only speeds it up. Be careful stirring hot pans: use a long spoon and keep the handle turned in.