Part 147

2. Activity; powerful agency. [Obs.]

The agility of the sun's fiery heat. Holland.

Ag"i*o (&?;), n.; pl. Agios (&?;). [It. aggio exchange, discount, premium, the same word as agio ease. See Ease.] (Com.) The premium or percentage on a better sort of money when it is given in exchange for an inferior sort. The premium or discount on foreign bills of exchange is sometimes called agio.

Ag"i*o*tage (&?;), n. [F. agiotage, fr. agioter to practice stockjobbing, fr. agio.] Exchange business; also, stockjobbing; the maneuvers of speculators to raise or lower the price of stocks or public funds.

Vanity and agiotage are to a Parisian the oxygen and hydrogen of life. Landor.

A*gist" (&?;), v. t. [OF. agister; à (L. ad) + gister to assign a lodging, fr. giste lodging, abode, F. gîte, LL. gistum, gista, fr. L. jacitum, p. p. of jac&?;re to lie: cf. LL. agistare, adgistare. See Gist.] (Law) To take to graze or pasture, at a certain sum; -- used originally of the feeding of cattle in the king's forests, and collecting the money for the same. Blackstone.

Ag`is*ta"tor (&?;), n. [LL.] See Agister.

{ A*gist"er, A*gist"or } (&?;), n. [Anglo-Norman agistour.] (Law) (a) Formerly, an officer of the king's forest, who had the care of cattle agisted, and collected the money for the same; -- hence called gisttaker, which in England is corrupted into guest- taker. (b) Now, one who agists or takes in cattle to pasture at a certain rate; a pasturer. Mozley & W.

A*gist"ment (&?;), n. [OF. agistement. See Agist.] (Law) (a) Formerly, the taking and feeding of other men's cattle in the king's forests. (b) The taking in by any one of other men's cattle to graze at a certain rate. Mozley & W. (c) The price paid for such feeding. (d) A charge or rate against lands; as, an agistment of sea banks, i. e., charge for banks or dikes.

Ag"i*ta*ble (&?;), a. [L. agitabilis: cf. F. agitable.] Capable of being agitated, or easily moved. [R.]

Ag"i*tate (&?;), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Agitated (&?;); p. pr. & vb. n. Agitating (&?;).] [L. agitatus, p. p. of agitare to put in motion, fr. agere to move: cf. F. agiter. See Act, Agent.] 1. To move with a violent, irregular action; as, the wind agitates the sea; to agitate water in a vessel. "Winds . . . agitate the air." Cowper.

2. To move or actuate. [R.] Thomson.

3. To stir up; to disturb or excite; to perturb; as, he was greatly agitated.

The mind of man is agitated by various passions. Johnson.

4. To discuss with great earnestness; to debate; as, a controversy hotly agitated. Boyle.

5. To revolve in the mind, or view in all its aspects; to contrive busily; to devise; to plot; as, politicians agitate desperate designs.

Syn. -- To move; shake; excite; rouse; disturb; distract; revolve; discuss; debate; canvass.

Ag"i*ta`ted*ly, adv. In an agitated manner.

Ag`i*ta"tion (&?;), n. [L. agitatio: cf. F. agitation.] 1. The act of agitating, or the state of being agitated; the state of being moved with violence, or with irregular action; commotion; as, the sea after a storm is in agitation.

2. A stirring up or arousing; disturbance of tranquillity; disturbance of mind which shows itself by physical excitement; perturbation; as, to cause any one agitation.

3. Excitement of public feeling by discussion, appeals, etc.; as, the antislavery agitation; labor agitation. "Religious agitations." Prescott.

4. Examination or consideration of a subject in controversy, or of a plan proposed for adoption; earnest discussion; debate.

A logical agitation of the matter. L'Estrange.

The project now in agitation. Swift.

Syn. -- Emotion; commotion; excitement; trepidation; tremor; perturbation. See Emotion.

Ag"i*ta*tive (&?;), a. Tending to agitate.

||A`gi*ta"to (&?;), a. [It., agitated.] (Mus.) Sung or played in a restless, hurried, and spasmodic manner.

Ag"i*ta`tor (&?;), n. [L.] 1. One who agitates; one who stirs up or excites others; as, political reformers and agitators.