Learn English – a word or an idiom for “an act that makes alive something inanimate”

idiom-requestphrase-requestword-request

I am seeking after either a word or a phrase or an idiom to convey that an act brings alive something inanimate. Is there such thing in English?

Much appreciated for every suggestion.

I think about another closely related question: How to describe in a word or in an idiom that a stroke, when added on an animal drawn on a painting, makes the animal more vivid?

Best Answer

One phrase that's often used is bring to life (or come to life).

There's a famous Christmas song that uses this wording:

Frosty the Snowman, is a fairytale, they say.
He was made of snow, but the children know he came to life one day.

There must have been some magic in that old silk hat they found
For when they placed it on his head, he began to dance around!

The phrase is also used (albeit as a pun) in this headline:

Bringing Frankenstein to Life