inspire

From Middle English inspiren, enspiren, from Old French inspirer, variant of espirer, from Latin īnspīrāre, present active infinitive of īnspīrō (“inspire”), itself a loan-translation of Biblical Ancient Greek πνέω (pnéō, “breathe”), from in + spīrō (“breathe”), from Proto-Indo-European *(s)peys- (“to blow, breathe”). Displaced native Old English onbryrdan (literally “to prick in”).

• (General American) IPA^(key): /ɪn.ˈspaɪɹ/
• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ɪn.ˈspaɪə(ɹ)/
• Rhymes: -aɪə(ɹ)

• Audio (Southern England)

  (file)

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.
   • 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Wisdom 15:11:

     He knew not his Maker, and him that inspired into him an active soul.

   • c. 1588–1593 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Lamentable Tragedy of Titus Andronicus”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, (please specify the act number in uppercase Roman numerals, and the scene number in lowercase Roman numerals):

     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.

   The captain's speech was aimed to inspire her team to victory in the final.

   • 1697, Virgil, “The Seventh Book of the Æneis”, in John Dryden, transl., The Works of Virgil: Containing His Pastorals, Georgics, and Æneis. […], London: […] Jacob Tonson, […], →OCLC:

     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.
   • 1672, Gideon Harvey, Morbus Anglicus, Or, The Anatomy of Consumptions:

     By means of those sulfurous coal smokes the lungs are as it were stifled and extremely oppressed, whereby they are 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.
   • 1687 (date written), Alexander Pope, “Ode for Musick on St. Cecilia’s Day”, in The Works of Mr. Alexander Pope, volume I, London: […] W[illiam] Bowyer, for Bernard Lintot, […], →OCLC, canto I, page 371:

     Deſcend ye nine! deſcend and ſing; / The breathing inſtruments inſpire, / VVake into voice each ſilent ſtring, / And ſvveep the ſounding lyre!

6. (transitive) To spread rumour indirectly.

• beghast

• (antonym(s) of “inhale”): expire

• awe-inspire
• inspiration
• inspirational
• inspirator
• inspiratory

• spinier

inspire

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

• Audio

  (file)

inspire

1. inflection of inspirer:
   1. first/third-person singular present indicative/subjunctive
   2. second-person singular imperative

inspire

1. inflection of inspirar:
   1. first/third-person singular present subjunctive
   2. third-person singular imperative

• IPA^(key): [inˈspire]

inspire

1. third-person singular/plural present subjunctive of inspira

inspire

1. inflection of inspirar:
   1. first/third-person singular present subjunctive
   2. third-person singular imperative