agitate

verb

1. (transitive)To disturb or excite; to perturb or stir up (a person).

   “He was greatly agitated by the news.”

2. (transitive)To cause to move with a violent, irregular action; to shake.

   “to agitate water in a vessel”

   “The wind agitates the sea.”

   “It was a dark and stormy night; the rain fell in torrents — except at occasional intervals, when it was checked by a violent gust of wind which swept up the streets (for it is in London that our scene lies), rattling along the housetops, and fiercely agitating the scanty flame of the lamps that struggled against the darkness.”

3. To participate in political agitation (sense 3).

   “NAMBLA is working to build a coalition of gay, lesbian, progressive and civil liberties groups to agitate against the increasing state attacks on gay men who associate with boys.”

4. (obsolete, transitive)To set in motion; to actuate.
5. (archaic, transitive)To discuss or debate.

   “Your speech at the time a bill for the regency was agitated now lies before me.”

6. (archaic, transitive)To mull over, or think deeply about; to consider, to devise.

   “Politicians agitate desperate designs.”