Dic: stir up

1. try to stir up public opinion
   | ＝ agitate, foment
   | ≒ provoke, stimulate
2. arouse or excite feelings and passions
   | ＝ fire up, heat, ignite, wake, inflame
   | ≒ arouse, elicit, evoke, provoke, enkindle, kindle, fire, raise

• They saw first a cloud of dust and then the car that was stirring it up.
• As usual, Harriet is trying to stir up trouble.
• The march music really stirred the audience up.
• Why are you always trying to stir trouble up?

1. PHRASAL VERB | If something stirs up dust or stirs up mud in water, it causes it to rise up and move around.
   PHRASAL VERB | If you stir up a particular mood or situation, usually a bad one, you cause it.
2. Fig. to get someone excited; to get someone angry.
3. to cause trouble

.... http://www.thefreedictionary.com/stir+up, Cobuild,