English

Verb

reinspire ‎(third-person singular simple present reinspires, present participle reinspiring, simple past and past participle reinspired)

1. to inspire again.
   • 1862, Henry Wager Halleck, Elements of Military Art and Science:

     It is scarcely necessary to remark that, to effect this object,--to reinspire a beaten army with hope, and to reassure it of victory,--we must not turn our backs on an enemy, without sometimes presenting to him our front also;--we must not confide our safety to mere flight, but adopt such measures as shall convince him that though wounded and overpowered, we are neither disabled nor dismayed; and that we still possess enough both of strength and spirit to punish his faults, should he commit any.

   • 1904, Philip Verrill Mighels, Bruvver Jim's Baby:

     When he sat on old Jim's knee, however, he leaned in confidence against him, and sighed with a sweet little sound of contentment, as poignant to reinspire a certain ecstasy of sadness in the miner's breast as it was to excite an envy in the hearts of the others.

   • 1991 January 4, Ted Cox, “The Sports Section”, in Chicago Reader:

     Ditka has to work to reinspire his veteran players, something he's performed miracles at all season long.

   • 1997 April 25, Ted Cox, “Sports Section”, in Chicago Reader:

     Jordan has found ways, again and again, to reinspire himself on the basketball court, and while most of the media seemed to regard the Woods-Jordan meeting as the apprentice consulting the master, there was something in Jordan's demeanor, as he answered those Tiger Woods questions after the loss to the Knicks, that suggested it might be the other way around, that Jordan might use Woods as a new source of inspiration.

Related terms

• reinspiration