activate

activate

[′ak·tə‚vāt]

(electricity)

To make a cell or battery operative by addition of a liquid.

(electronics)

To treat the filament, cathode, or target of a vacuum tube to increase electron emission.

(engineering)

To set up conditions so that the object will function as designed or required.

(nucleonics)

To induce radioactivity through bombardment by neutrons or by other types of radiation.

(ordnance)

To bring into existence by official order a unit, post, camp, station, base, or shore activity which has previously been constituted and designated by name or number, or both, so that it can be organized to function in its assigned capacity.

To prepare for active service a naval ship or craft which has been in an inactive or reserve status.

(physics)

To start activity or motion in a device or material.

McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Scientific & Technical Terms, 6E, Copyright © 2003 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

activate

(1) See trigger.

(2) To interact with an activation server at the time copy-protected software is installed. The install program generates a code that is sent to the activation server, which responds with an authorization code that allows the software to operate. Without the authorization code, the software generally times out.

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