Source : Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

Stir \Stir\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Stirred}; p. pr. & vb. n.
   {Stirring}.] [OE. stiren, steren, sturen, AS. styrian;
   probably akin to D. storen to disturb, G. st["o]ren, OHG.
   st[=o]ren to scatter, destroy. [root]166.]
   1. To change the place of in any manner; to move.

            My foot I had never yet in five days been able to
            stir.                                 --Sir W.
                                                  Temple.

   2. To disturb the relative position of the particles of, as
      of a liquid, by passing something through it; to agitate;
      as, to stir a pudding with a spoon.

            My mind is troubled, like a fountain stirred.
                                                  --Shak.

   3. To bring into debate; to agitate; to moot.

            Stir not questions of jurisdiction.   --Bacon.

   4. To incite to action; to arouse; to instigate; to prompt;
      to excite. ``To stir men to devotion.'' --Chaucer.

            An Ate, stirring him to blood and strife. --Shak.

            And for her sake some mutiny will stir. --Dryden.

   Note: In all senses except the first, stir is often followed
         by up with an intensive effect; as, to stir up fire; to
         stir up sedition.

   Syn: To move; incite; awaken; rouse; animate; stimulate;
        excite; provoke.

Stir \Stir\, v. i.
   1. To move; to change one's position.

            I had not power to stir or strive, But felt that I
            was still alive.                      --Byron.

   2. To be in motion; to be active or bustling; to exert or
      busy one's self.

            All are not fit with them to stir and toil. --Byron.

            The friends of the unfortunate exile, far from
            resenting his unjust suspicions, were stirring
            anxiously in his behalf.              --Merivale.

   3. To become the object of notice; to be on foot.

            They fancy they have a right to talk freely upon
            everything that stirs or appears.     --I. Watts.

   4. To rise, or be up, in the morning. [Colloq.] --Shak.

Stir \Stir\, n.
   1. The act or result of stirring; agitation; tumult; bustle;
      noise or various movements.

            Why all these words, this clamor, and this stir?
                                                  --Denham.

            Consider, after so much stir about genus and
            species, how few words we have yet settled
            definitions of.                       --Locke.

   2. Public disturbance or commotion; tumultuous disorder;
      seditious uproar.

            Being advertised of some stirs raised by his
            unnatural sons in England.            --Sir J.
                                                  Davies.

   3. Agitation of thoughts; conflicting passions.

Source : WordNet®

stir
     v 1: move an implement through with a circular motion; "stir the
          soup"; "stir my drink"
     2: move very slightly; "He shifted in his seat" [syn: {shift},
        {budge}, {agitate}]
     3: stir feelings in; "stimulate my appetite"; "excite the
        audience"; "stir emotions" [syn: {stimulate}, {excite}]
     4: stir the feelings, emotions, or peace of; "These stories
        shook the community"; "the civil war shook the country"
        [syn: {stimulate}, {shake}, {shake up}, {excite}]
     5: affect emotionally; "A stirring movie"; "I was touched by
        your kind letter of sympathy" [syn: {touch}]
     6: evoke or call forth, with or as if by magic; "raise the
        specter of unemployment"; "he conjured wild birds in the
        air"; "stir a disturbance"; "call down the spirits from
        the mountain" [syn: {raise}, {conjure}, {conjure up}, {invoke},
         {evoke}, {call down}, {arouse}, {bring up}, {put forward},
         {call forth}]
     7: to begin moving, "As the thunder started the sleeping
        children began to stir" [syn: {arouse}]
     8: mix or add by stirring; "Stir nuts into the dough"
     [also: {stirring}, {stirred}]

stir
     n 1: a disorderly outburst or tumult; "they were amazed by the
          furious disturbance they had caused" [syn: {disturbance},
           {disruption}, {commotion}, {flutter}, {hurly burly}, {to-do},
           {hoo-ha}, {hoo-hah}, {kerfuffle}]
     2: emotional agitation and excitement
     3: a rapid bustling commotion [syn: {bustle}, {hustle}, {flurry},
         {ado}, {fuss}]
     [also: {stirring}, {stirred}]