From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Accelerate \Ac*cel"er*ate\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Accelerated;
p. pr. & vb. n. Accelerating.] [L. acceleratus, p. p. of
accelerare; ad + celerare to hasten; celer quick. See
Celerity.]
1. To cause to move faster; to quicken the motion of; to add
to the speed of; -- opposed to retard.
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2. To quicken the natural or ordinary progression or process
of; as, to accelerate the growth of a plant, the increase
of wealth, etc.
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3. To hasten, as the occurence of an event; as, to accelerate
our departure.
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Accelerated motion (Mech.), motion with a continually
increasing velocity.
Accelerating force, the force which causes accelerated
motion. --Nichol.
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Syn: To hasten; expedite; quicken; dispatch; forward;
advance; further.
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