Pl. stimuli. [Originally a mod.L. use (in medical books) of L. stimulus goad, of doubtful origin; perh. f. root *sti- in stilus: see STYLUS.
Cf. F. stimulus (Phys.), stimule (Bot.); Sp., Pg. estimulo, It. stimulo, stimolo (and popular forms in dialects, e.g., Milanese stombol, Veronese stombio, Sardinian strumbula), Rumanian stramur.
The following quot. exemplifies the mod.L. medical use.
a. 1614. Platerus, Observ. in Hominis Affectibus, I. (1641), 255. In Impotentia [etc.] Ad stimulum addendum, primum exterioribus illud tentare volui, jubens perinæi regionem … calide inungere oleo nucum in quo Formica & Cantharides decoctæ fuerint.]
1. Phys. Something that acts as a ‘goad’ or ‘spur’ to a languid bodily organ; an agency or influence that stimulates, increases or quickens organic activity.
1684. trans. Bonet’s Merc. Compit., XIX. 694/2. The Indian Chocolad … both increases Seed and adds a stimulus.
1732. Arbuthnot, Rules of Diet, in Aliments, etc. 276. By weakening the force of any Stimulus.
1750. J. Theobald, App. Medulla Med. Univ., 55. In all Cases where the Nerves want a Stimulus to help them to perform their destined Offices.
1821. Scott, Kenilw., xx. One of those unfortunate persons, who, being once stirred with the vinous stimulus, do not fall asleep like other drunkards, but [etc.].
1843. R. J. Graves, Syst. Clin. Med., x. 115. An attack of pneumonia, coming on in fever, frequently acts as a stimulus to the economy.
1875. Jowett, Plato (ed. 2), V. 68. The physician … would tell us that you cannot restore strength by a stimulus.
b. Stimulating property, action or effect; stimulation or quickening of organic activity.
1684. trans. Bonet’s Merc. Compit., XIX. 695/1. That … such Medicines be made use of as comfort the vital faculty, and yet have a gentle Stimulus withal.
1758. E. Wright, in Phil. Trans., L. 598. This salt is not only astringent, and consequently a strengthener, but at the same time acts with a gentle stimulus.
1785. Paley, Moral Philos., IV. ii. (1818), II. 13. As the liquor loses its stimulus, the dose must be increased.
1841. A. Combe, Physiol. Digestion (ed. 3), 292. They are less stimulating…. Indeed, from this very want of stimulus, they are apt to disagree with weak stomachs, unless seasoned.
1847. W. C. L. Martin, The Ox, 178/2. Common salt as an aperient often acts well … perhaps from the stimulus it gives to the stomach.
1861. Flor. Nightingale, Nursing, 73. It is not a sleeping dose he wants, but food or stimulus.
2. gen. An agency or influence that stimulates to action or (const. to) that quickens an activity or process.
1793. Brit. Critic, II. 362. We should expect even the voluntary productions of the pen, without this violent stimulus, to be sufficient to support the honour of the society.
1803. Windham, Sp. (1812), II. 154. Measures so chosen…, as to become a powerful stimulus to recruiting.
1830. Miss Mitford, Village, Ser. IV. 80, note. A person of great … talent, who,… if she were prompted by either of those two powerful stimuli, want of money or want of admiration, to take due pains—would … become a clever writer.
1833. Ht. Martineau, Loom & Lugger, I. i. 12. There is no stimulus to improvement like fair competition.
1834. Marryat, P. Simple, xv. The ship … reminded me of a goaded and fiery horse, mad with the stimulus applied.
1863. Fawcett, Pol. Econ., I. v. (1876), 63. Gold may have been the primary stimulus of Australia’s prosperity.
1873. Spencer, Study Sociol., viii. 194. The needs of defence and attack were the chief stimuli to the cultivation of arts.
b. A quickening impulse; also, in generalized sense, quickening influence, stimulation.
1794. Brit. Critic, III. 518. Those young Academicians … will receive from the perusal of his book a powerful stimulus to their ambition.
1833. Ht. Martineau, Vanderput & S., vi. 99. The turn of exchange had given such a stimulus to importation.
1849. C. Brontë, Shirley, i. Do you expect passion, and stimulus, and melodrama?
1856. Kane, Arctic Expl., II. xviii. 189. Their health improved under the stimulus of a new mode of life.
1865. M. Arnold, Ess. Crit., Joubert (1875), 319. They become … a source of stimulus and progress for all of us.
1911. T. B. Kilpatrick, N. Test. Evangelism, iii. 76. Surely these questions will come to him with rebuke and stimulus, and send him, with new consecration, to preach Christ, who can make all things new.
3. Phys. Something that excites an organ or tissue to a specific activity or function; a material agency that produces a reaction in an organism.
Developed from the older physiological sense 1.
1793. T. Beddoes, Calculus, etc. 191. Those stimuli which … act continually more or less upon the irritable fibre, are, heat, light, nourishment, air, the circulation of the blood, the stimulus of generation, and the nervous stimuli.
1837. P. Keith, Bot. Lex., 224. Life is that energy, or attribute, of organized structures which renders them capable of receiving and of obeying the impulse of stimuli.
1848. Carpenter, Anim. Phys., 19. Muscles … are composed of a tissue which has the power of contracting suddenly and forcibly, when peculiar stimuli are applied to it.
1880. C. & F. Darwin, Movem. Pl., 4. The tip is sensitive to various stimuli, especially to very slight pressure.
1899. W. S. Hall, Text-bk. Physiol., 52. Stimuli Classified.—The following forms of energy act as stimuli for most cells: (I) Heat, (II) Light, (III) Electricity, (IV) Mechanical Stimuli, (V) Chemical Stimuli.
transf. 1851. Mill, Dissert. & Discuss., Enfranch. Women (1859), II. 438. What makes intelligent beings is the power of thought; the stimuli which call forth that power are the interest and dignity of thought itself.
b. Influence or effect in calling forth some specific reaction of a tissue; irritation of a nerve or other sensitive structure.
1785. Cullen, Instit. Med., I. (ed. 3), 73. The force of contraction, or the vigour of muscular fibres, will be always as the force of stimulus, and the vigour of the animal, nervous, and inherent powers taken together.
1837. P. Keith, Bot. Lex., 327. Rest, which they thus obtain after having been exposed throughout the day to the stimulus of light.
1841. Penny Cycl., XXI. 181/2. The infusion of tobacco, and hydrocyanic acid, appear to destroy completely the sensibility of the heart, so that it no longer responds to the stimulus of the blood.
1872. Huxley, Physiol., viii. 187. The great majority … of the movements of the body … are the efect of an influence (technically termed a stimulus or irritation) applied … to the ends of afferent nerves.
1882. Gaskell, in Jrnl. Physiol., IV. 67. Since then the ventricle does not contract after the auricle because separate stimuli pass from the sinus to the ventricle along nerve fibres, but does contract [etc.].
1899. W. S. Hall, Text-bk. Physiol., 75. The following laws of electrical response may be formulated: Law I. The make stimulus is kathodic; the break stimulus is anodic.
4. Nat. Hist. A sting, a stinging hair. rare (? only as Latin).
1760. J. Lee, Introd. Bot., III. xviii. (1765), 213. Stimuli, Stings, keep off naked Animals by their venomous Punctures.
1764. Berkenhout, Clavis Angl. Bot., Stimuli, stings: a species of Arma growing upon some plants for their defence…. Linnæus divides the stimuli into pungentes and urentes.
1796. Withering, Brit. Plants (ed. 3), I. 84. Stimuli, stings.
1866. Treas. Bot., 1100/2.
1909. Century Dict., Suppl., Stimulus. 6. In entom., a stinging-hair.
