enthuse

enthuse
/en thoohz"/, v., enthused, enthusing.
v.i.
1. to be or become enthusiastic; show enthusiasm: All the neighbors enthused over the new baby.
v.t.
2. to cause to become enthusiastic.
[1820-30, Amer.; back formation from ENTHUSIASM]
Usage. The verb ENTHUSE is a 19th-century back formation from the noun enthusiasm. Originally an Americanism, ENTHUSE is now standard and well established in the speech and all but the most formal writing of educated persons, in both Britain and the United States. It is used as a transitive verb meaning "to cause to become enthusiastic" (The liveliness of the dance enthused the audience) and as an intransitive verb meaning "to show enthusiasm" (She enthused warmly over his performance). Despite its long history and frequent occurrence, however, ENTHUSE is still strongly disapproved of by many.

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Universalium. 2010.

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  • enthuse — is a 19c back formation meaning ‘to show enthusiasm’ or ‘cause enthusiasm in’, and is used with and without an object; you can enthuse people, enthuse over or about something, or simply enthuse (typically with direct speech): • As we talk he is… …   Modern English usage

  • enthuse — ► VERB 1) (often enthuse over) express one s great enthusiasm for something. 2) make enthusiastic …   English terms dictionary

  • Enthuse — En*thuse , v. t. & i. To make or become enthusiastic. [Slang] [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

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  • enthuse — 1827, Amer.Eng., back formation from ENTHUSIASM (Cf. enthusiasm). Originally often humorous or with affected ignorance. Related: enthused; enthusing …   Etymology dictionary

  • enthuse — *thrill, electrify …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • enthuse — ☆ enthuse [en tho͞oz′, enthyo͞oz′; intho͞oz′, inthyo͞oz′ ] vi. enthused, enthusing [back form. < ENTHUSIASM] Informal to express enthusiasm vt. Informal to make enthusiastic …   English World dictionary

  • enthuse — verb 1) I enthused about the idea Syn: rave about, be enthusiastic about, gush over, wax lyrical about, be effusive about, get all worked up about, rhapsodize about; praise to the skies, extol; informal go wild/mad/crazy about/over/for, ballyhoo… …   Thesaurus of popular words

  • enthuse — UK [ɪnˈθjuːz] / US [ɪnˈθuz] verb Word forms enthuse : present tense I/you/we/they enthuse he/she/it enthuses present participle enthusing past tense enthused past participle enthused a) [intransitive] to talk in an excited way about something… …   English dictionary

  • enthuse — v. (colloq.) (D; intr.) to enthuse about, over * * * [ɪn θjuːz] over (colloq.) (D; intr.) to enthuse about …   Combinatory dictionary

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