Something that is animate has life, in contrast to things like stones and machines which do not.
例句
...all aspects of the material world, animate and inanimate.物质世界的方方面面，包括有生命的和无生命的
VERB
使有生气；使活泼；激励；鼓舞
To animate something means to make it lively or more cheerful.
例句
There was precious little about the cricket to animate the crowd...板球比赛能激起观众热情的地方很少。The girls watched, little teasing smiles animating their faces.女孩们注视着，脸上挂着调皮的微笑，显得愈加活泼。