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Webster 1913 Edition

Inspire

In-spire′

(ĭn-spīr′)
,
Verb.
T.
[OE.
enspiren
, OF.
enspirer
,
inspirer
, F.
inspirer
, fr. L.
inspirare
; pref.
in-
in +
spirare
to breathe. See
Spirit
.]
1.
To breathe into; to fill with the breath; to animate.
When Zephirus eek, with his sweete breath,
Inspirèd
hath in every holt and heath
The tender crops.
Chaucer.
Descend, ye Nine, descend and sing,
The breathing instruments
inspire
.
Pope.
2.
To infuse by breathing, or as if by breathing.
He knew not his Maker, and him that
inspired
into him an active soul.
Wisdom xv. 11.
3.
To draw in by the operation of breathing; to inhale; – opposed to
expire
.
Forced to
inspire
and expire the air with difficulty.
Harvey.
4.
To infuse into the mind; to communicate to the spirit; to convey, as by a divine or supernatural influence; to disclose preternaturally; to produce in, as by inspiration.
And generous stout courage did
inspire
.
Spenser.
But dawning day new comfort hath
inspired
.
Shakespeare
Erato, thy poet’s mind
inspire
,
And fill his soul with thy celestial fire.
Dryden.

In-spire′

,
Verb.
I.
[
imp. & p. p.
Inspired
;
p. pr. & vb. n.
Inspiring
.]
1.
To draw in breath; to inhale air into the lungs; – opposed to
expire
.
2.
To breathe; to blow gently.
[Obs.]
And when the wind amongst them did
inspire
,
They wavèd like a penon wide dispread.
Spenser.

Webster 1828 Edition

Inspire

INSPI'RE

,
Verb.
I.
[L. inspiro; in and spiro, to breathe.]
To draw in breath; to inhale air into the lungs; opposed to expire.

INSPI'RE

,
Verb.
T.
To breathe into.
Ye nine, descend and sing,
The breathing instruments inspire.
1.
To infuse by breathing.
He knew not his Maker, and him that inspired into him an active soul.
2.
To infuse into the mind; as, to inspire with new life.
3.
To infuse or suggest ideas or monitions supernaturally; to communicate divine instructions to the mind. In this manner, we suppose the prophets to have been inspired, and the Scriptures to have been composed under divine influence or direction.
4.
To infuse ideas or poetic spirit.
5.
To draw into the lungs; as, to inspire and expire the air with difficulty.

Definition 2024

inspire

inspire

See also: inspiré and inspirē

English

Verb

inspire ‎(third-person singular simple present inspires, present participle inspiring, simple past and past participle inspired)

  1. (transitive) To infuse into the mind; to communicate to the spirit; to convey, as by a divine or supernatural influence; to disclose preternaturally; to produce in, as by inspiration.
    • Bible, Wisdom xv. 11
      He knew not his Maker, and him that inspired into him an active soul.
    • Shakespeare
      Dawning day new comfort hath inspired.
    • 2012 March-April, Anna Lena Phillips, “Sneaky Silk Moths”, in American Scientist, volume 100, number 2, page 172:
      Last spring, the periodical cicadas emerged across eastern North America. Their vast numbers and short above-ground life spans inspired awe and irritation in humans—and made for good meals for birds and small mammals.
  2. (transitive) To infuse into; to affect, as with a superior or supernatural influence; to fill with what animates, enlivens or exalts; to communicate inspiration to.
    Elders should inspire children with sentiments of virtue.
    • Dryden
      Erato, thy poet's mind inspire, / And fill his soul with thy celestial fire.
  3. (intransitive) To draw in by the operation of breathing; to inhale.
    • Harvey
      forced to inspire and expire the air with difficulty
  4. To infuse by breathing, or as if by breathing.
  5. (archaic, transitive) To breathe into; to fill with the breath; to animate.
    • Alexander Pope
      Descend, ye Nine, descend and sing, / The breathing instruments inspire.
  6. (transitive) To spread rumour indirectly.

Synonyms

Antonyms

Derived terms

Related terms

Translations

Anagrams

Asturian

Verb

inspire

  1. first-person singular present subjunctive of inspirar
  2. third-person singular present subjunctive of inspirar

French

Verb

inspire

  1. first-person singular present indicative of inspirer
  2. third-person singular present indicative of inspirer
  3. first-person singular present subjunctive of inspirer
  4. third-person singular present subjunctive of inspirer
  5. second-person singular imperative of inspirer

Portuguese

Verb

inspire

  1. First-person singular (eu) present subjunctive of inspirar
  2. Third-person singular (ele, ela, also used with tu and você?) present subjunctive of inspirar
  3. Third-person singular (você) affirmative imperative of inspirar
  4. Third-person singular (você) negative imperative of inspirar

Spanish

Verb

inspire

  1. First-person singular (yo) present subjunctive form of inspirar.
  2. Formal second-person singular (usted) present subjunctive form of inspirar.
  3. Third-person singular (él, ella, also used with usted?) present subjunctive form of inspirar.
  4. Formal second-person singular (usted) imperative form of inspirar.

Etymology

From Old French inspirer, variant of espirer, from Latin īnspīrāre, present active infinitive of īnspīrō ‎(“inspire”), itself a loan-translation of the Ancient Greek πνέω ‎(pnéō, “breathe”) in the Bible, from in + spīrō ‎(“breathe”).

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ɪn.ˈspaɪə(ɹ)/
  • Rhymes: -aɪə(ɹ)

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