The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Actuate \Ac"tu*ate\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Actuated; p. pr. &
   vb. n. Actuating.] [LL. actuatus, p. p. of actuare, fr. L.
   actus act.]
   1. To put into action or motion; to move or incite to action;
      to influence actively; to move as motives do; -- more
      commonly used of persons.
      [1913 Webster]

            Wings, which others were contriving to actuate by
            the perpetual motion.                 --Johnson.
      [1913 Webster]

            Men of the greatest abilities are most fired with
            ambition; and, on the contrary, mean and narrow
            minds are the least actuated by it.   --Addison.
      [1913 Webster]

   2. To carry out in practice; to perform. [Obs.] "To actuate
      what you command." --Jer. Taylor.
      [1913 Webster]

   Syn: To move; impel; incite; rouse; instigate; animate.
        [1913 Webster]

The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Actuate \Ac"tu*ate\, a. [LL. actuatus, p. p. of actuare.]
   Put in action; actuated. [Obs.] --South.
   [1913 Webster]

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):

actuate
    v 1: put in motion or move to act; "trigger a reaction";
         "actuate the circuits" [syn: trip, actuate, trigger,
         activate, set off, spark off, spark, trigger off,
         touch off]
    2: give an incentive for action; "This moved me to sacrifice my
       career" [syn: motivate, actuate, propel, move,
       prompt, incite]

Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0:

40 Moby Thesaurus words for "actuate":
   animate, arouse, circulate, compel, drive, drive on, energize,
   excite, force, forward, foster, galvanize, give an impetus,
   give momentum, goad, impel, incite, mobilize, motivate, move,
   move to action, nudge, power, promote, propel, provoke, push,
   put in motion, rouse, set agoing, set going, set in motion,
   set off, shove, spark, stimulate, stir, thrust, vitalize,
   whip on