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Advocate vs Agitate - What's the difference?

advocate | agitate |

As verbs the difference between advocate and agitate

is that advocate is to plead in favour of; to defend by argument, before a tribunal or the public; to support, vindicate, or recommend publicly while agitate is to move with a violent, irregular action; as, the wind agitates the sea; to agitate water in a vessel.

As a noun advocate

is someone whose job is to speak for someone's case in a court of law; a counsel.

advocate

English

Noun

(en noun)
  • Someone whose job is to speak for someone's case in a court of law; a counsel.
  • Anyone who argues the case of another; an intercessor.
  • * c. 1591 , (William Shakespeare), Richard III , First Folio 1623:
  • I neuer did incense his Maiestie / Against the Duke of Clarence, but haue bin / An earnest aduocate to plead for him.
  • A person who speaks in support of something.
  • * 2011 , Alix Lee, The Guardian , 9 Oct 2011:
  • He became a tireless advocate for the needs of adults with IMD throughout Britain and internationally.
  • A person who supports others to make their voices heard, or ideally for them to speak up for themselves.
  • ''Since she started working with her advocate , she has become much more confident.

    Derived terms

    * devil's advocate

    Verb

    (advocat)
  • (label) To plead in favour of; to defend by argument, before a tribunal or the public; to support, vindicate, or recommend publicly.
  • * (and other bibliographic particulars) Bishop Sanderson
  • * (and other bibliographic particulars) (Burke)
  • (label) To encourage support for something.
  • To engage in advocacy.
  • Synonyms

    * See also

    Anagrams

    * English heteronyms ----

    agitate

    English

    (Webster 1913)

    Verb

    (agitat)
  • To move with a violent, irregular action; as, the wind agitates the sea; to agitate water in a vessel.
  • ``Winds . . . agitate the air.'' --Cowper.
  • (rare) To move or actuate.
  • :(Thomson)
  • To stir up; to disturb or excite; to perturb; as, he was greatly agitated.
  • The mind of man is agitated by various passions. --Johnson.
  • To discuss with great earnestness; to debate; as, a controversy hotly agitated.
  • :(Boyle)
  • To revolve in the mind, or view in all its aspects; to contrive busily; to devise; to plot; as, politicians agitate desperate designs.
  • Synonyms

    * move, shake, excite, rouse, disturb, distract, revolve, discuss, debate, canvass