actuate

/ˈak-chə-ˌwāt/

borrowed from Medieval Latin āctuātus, past participle of āctuāre "to actualize," verbal derivative of Latin āctus

verb

  1. to put into mechanical action or motion

  2. to move to action

The pump is actuated by the windmill.

move actuate drive impel mean to set or keep in motion. move is very general and implies no more than the fact of changing position. actuate stresses transmission of power so as to work or set in motion.