accelerate Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. verb move faster
    speed up; speed; quicken.
    • The car accelerated
  2. verb cause to move faster
    speed up; speed.
    • He accelerated the car

WordNet

Ac*cel"er*ate transitive verb
Etymology
L. acceleratus, p. p. of accelerare; ad + celerare to hasten; celer quick. See Celerity.
Wordforms
imperfect & past participle Accelerated present participle & verbal noun Accelerating
Definitions
  1. To cause to move faster; to quicken the motion of; to add to the speed of; -- opposed to retard.
  2. To quicken the natural or ordinary progression or process of; as, to accelerate the growth of a plant, the increase of wealth, etc.
  3. To hasten, as the occurence of an event; as, to accelerate our departure. Syn. -- To hasten; expedite; quicken; dispatch; forward; advance; further.

Webster 1913