\Ac*cel"er*ate\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Accelerated};
p. pr. & vb. n. {Accelerating}.] [L. acceleratus, p. p. of
accelerare; ad + celerare to hasten; celer quick. See
{Celerity}.]
1. To cause to move faster; to quicken the motion of; to add
   to the speed of; -- opposed to {retard}.
2. To quicken the natural or ordinary progression or process
   of; as, to accelerate the growth of a plant, the increase
   of wealth, etc.
3. To hasten, as the occurence of an event; as, to accelerate
   our departure.
{Accelerated motion} (Mech.), motion with a continually
   increasing velocity.
{Accelerating force}, the force which causes accelerated
   motion.                                     --Nichol.
Syn: To hasten; expedite; quicken; dispatch; forward;
     advance; further.