The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Facilitate \Fa*cil"i*tate\ (f[.a]*s[i^]l"[i^]*t[=a]t), v. t.
   [imp. & p. p. Facilitated (f[.a]*s[i^]l"[i^]*t[=a]`t[e^]d);
   p. pr. & vb. n. Facilitating
   (f[.a]*s[i^]l"[i^]*t[=a]`t[i^]ng).] [Cf. F. faciliter. See
   Facility.]
   To make easy or less difficult; to free from difficulty or
   impediment; to lessen the labor of; as, to facilitate the
   execution of a task.
   [1913 Webster]

         To invite and facilitate that line of proceeding which
         the times call for.                      --I. Taylor.
   [1913 Webster]

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):

facilitate
    v 1: make easier; "you could facilitate the process by sharing
         your knowledge" [syn: facilitate, ease, alleviate]
    2: be of use; "This will help to prevent accidents" [syn:
       help, facilitate]
    3: increase the likelihood of (a response); "The stimulus
       facilitates a delayed impulse"

Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0:

55 Moby Thesaurus words for "facilitate":
   act for, advance, advantage, aid, assist, be instrumental, boost,
   clear the way, conduce to, contribute to, ease, encourage,
   expedite, explain, favor, forward, further, go between, grease,
   grease the ways, grease the wheels, hasten, help, help along,
   lend wings to, loose, lubricate, make clear, make for,
   make way for, mediate, minister to, oil, open the way, open up,
   pave the way, prepare the way, promote, push forward, put forward,
   quicken, remove friction, run interference for, serve, set forward,
   simplify, smooth, smooth the way, soap the ways, speed, subserve,
   unbar, unblock, unclog, unjam