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palpitate

When you watch scary movies, do you ever feel your heart palpitate? This means it beats quickly.

To correctly pronounce palpitate, say: "PAL-pih-tate." Hearts aren't the only thing that can palpitate; your whole body might palpitate, or shiver. You can also palpitate something, such as what a medical professional does to a patient's heart to make it beat, potentially saving his or her life. Palpitate comes from the Latin word palpare, "to stroke."

DEFINITIONS OF: palpitate

1

v beat rapidly

“His heart palpitated
Synonyms:
flutter
Type of:
beat, pound, thump
move rhythmically

v shake with fast, tremulous movements

“His nostrils palpitated
Synonyms:
quake, quiver
Type of:
tremble
move or jerk quickly and involuntarily up and down or sideways

v cause to throb or beat rapidly

“Her violent feelings palpitated the young woman's heart”
Synonyms
flutter
beat rapidly
Type of:
agitate, shake
move or cause to move back and forth
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