Ac*cel"er*ate (?), v. t. [imp. & p.
p. Accelerated (?); p. pr. & vb. n.
Accelerating.] [L. acceleratus, p. p. of accelerare;
ad + celerare to hasten; celer quick. See
Celerity.] 1. To cause to move faster; to
quicken the motion of; to add to the speed of; -- opposed to
retard.
2. To quicken the natural or ordinary progression
or process of; as, to accelerate the growth of a plant, the increase
of wealth, etc.
3. To hasten, as the occurence of an event; as, to
accelerate our departure.
Accelerated motion (Mech.), motion with a
continually increasing velocity. -- Accelerating
force, the force which causes accelerated motion.
Nichol.
Syn. -- To hasten; expedite; quicken; dispatch; forward; advance;
further.