stir¹ / stər/ • v. (stirred, stir·ring) 1. [tr.] move a spoon or other implement around in (a liquid or other substance) in order to mix it thoroughly: stir the batter until it is just combined. ∎  (stir something in/into) add an ingredient to (a liquid or other substance) in such a way: stir in the flour and cook gently for two minutes.2. [intr.] move or begin to move slightly: nothing stirred except the wind. ∎  [tr.] cause to move or be disturbed slightly: a gentle breeze stirred the leaves cloudiness is caused by the fish stirring up mud. ∎  (of a person or animal) rise or wake from sleep: no one else had stirred yet. ∎  (stir from) (of a person) leave or go out of (a place): as he grew older, he seldom stirred from his apartment. ∎  begin or cause to begin to be active or to develop: [intr.] the 1960s, when the civil rights movement stirred | [tr.] a voice stirred her from her reverie he even stirred himself to play an encore. 3. [tr.] arouse strong feelings in (someone); move or excite: they will be stirred to action by what is written he stirred up the sweating crowd. ∎  arouse or prompt (a feeling or memory) or inspire (the imagination): the story stirred many memories of my childhood the rumors had stirred up his anger.• n. [in sing.] 1. a slight physical movement: I stood, straining eyes and ears for the faintest stir. ∎  a commotion: the event caused quite a stir. ∎  an initial sign of a specified feeling: Caroline felt a stir of anger deep within her breast.2. an act of mixing food or drink with a spoon or other implement: he gives his chocolate milk a stir.PHRASES: stir someone's blood make someone excited or enthusiastic.PHRASAL VERBS: stir something up cause or provoke trouble or bad feeling: he accused me of trying to stir up trouble.DERIVATIVES: stir·rer n.stir² • n. inf. prison: I've spent twenty-eight years in stir.