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Webster 1913 Edition

Vellicate

Vel′li-cate

,
Verb.
T.
[
imp. & p. p.
Vellicated
;
p. pr. & vb. n.
Vellicating
.]
[L.
vellicatus
, p. p. of
vellicare
to twitch, fr.
vellere
to pluck, pull.]
To twitch; to cause to twitch convulsively.
Convulsions, arising from something
vellicating
a nerve in its extremity, are not very dangerous.
Arbuthnot.

Vel′li-cate

,
Verb.
I.
To move spasmodically; to twitch;
as, a nerve
vellicates
.

Webster 1828 Edition

Vellicate

VEL'LICATE

,
Verb.
T.
[L. vellico, from vello, to pull. It may be from the root of pull.]
To twitch; to stimulate; applied to the muscles and fibers of animals; to cause to twitch convulsively.

Definition 2024

vellicate

vellicate

English

Verb

vellicate ‎(third-person singular simple present vellicates, present participle vellicating, simple past and past participle vellicated)

  1. To touch (a body part) lightly so as to excite the surface nerves and cause uneasiness, laughter, or spasmodic movements.
    • Roald Dahl, The Way Up to Heaven
      It was nothing much - just a tiny vellicating muscle in the corner of the left eye […]
  2. to irritate as if by a nip, pinch, or tear.
    Smooth surfaces can vellicate the teeth.
  3. To pinch.
  4. To cause to twitch.
    • Arbuthnot
      Convulsions, arising from something vellicating a nerve in its extremity, are not very dangerous.

Translations

touch (a body part) lightly so as to excite the surface nerves and cause uneasiness, laughter, or spasmodic movements
  • Russian: подёргиваться (ru) ‎(podjórgivatʹsja)

Related terms

See also

Italian

Verb

vellicate

  1. second-person plural present indicative of vellicare
  2. second-person plural imperative of vellicare

Participle

vellicate

  1. feminine plural of the past participle of vellicare

Latin

Verb

vellicāte

  1. second-person plural present active imperative of vellicō

Etymology

From Latin vellicatus, past participle of vellicare ‎(“to twitch”).

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