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Phrase(s): stir something up
1. Lit. to mix something by stirring. • Please stir the pancake batter up before you use it. • Please stir up the batter. 2. Fig. to cause trouble. • Why are you always trying to stir trouble up? • Are you stirring up trouble again?, Phrase(s): stir someone up
Fig. to get someone excited; to get someone angry. (Fig. on stir something up.) • The march music really stirred the audience up. • The march stirred up the audience.
McGrawhill's American Idioms And Phrasal Verbs
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1. Mix together the ingredients or parts, as in He stirred up some pancake batter, or Will you stir up the fire? [Mid-1300s] 2. Rouse to action, incite, provoke, as in He's always stirring up trouble among the campers, or If the strikers aren't careful they'll stir up a riot. [First half of 1500s] Also see STIR UP A HORNETS' NEST.
American Heritage Idioms