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accelerate (v.)

1520s, "hasten the occurrence of;" 1590s, "make quicker" (implied in accelerating), from Latin acceleratus, past participle of accelerare "to hasten, quicken" (trans.), "make haste" (intrans.), from ad "to" (see ad-) + celerare "hasten," from celer "swift," which is perhaps from PIE *keli- "speeding" (see celerity). Intransitive sense of "go faster, become faster" in English is from 1640s. Related: Accelerated; accelerative.

Origin and meaning of accelerate

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Definitions of accelerate from WordNet

accelerate (v.)
move faster;
The car accelerated
Synonyms: speed up / speed / quicken
accelerate (v.)
cause to move faster;
He accelerated the car
Synonyms: speed / speed up
From wordnet.princeton.edu