'Inspire' definitions:

Definition of 'inspire'

From: WordNet
verb
Heighten or intensify; "These paintings exalt the imagination" [syn: inspire, animate, invigorate, enliven, exalt]
verb
Supply the inspiration for; "The article about the artist inspired the exhibition of his recent work"
verb
Serve as the inciting cause of; "She prompted me to call my relatives" [syn: prompt, inspire, instigate]
verb
Spur on or encourage especially by cheers and shouts; "The crowd cheered the demonstrating strikers" [syn: cheer, root on, inspire, urge, barrack, urge on, exhort, pep up]
verb
Fill with revolutionary ideas [syn: revolutionize, revolutionise, inspire]
verb
Draw in (air); "Inhale deeply"; "inhale the fresh mountain air"; "The patient has trouble inspiring"; "The lung cancer patient cannot inspire air very well" [syn: inhale, inspire, breathe in] [ant: breathe out, exhale, expire]

Definition of 'Inspire'

From: GCIDE
  • Inspire \In*spire"\ ([i^]n*sp[imac]r"), v. t. [OE. enspiren, OF. enspirer, inspirer, F. inspirer, fr. L. inspirare; pref. in- in + spirare to breathe. See Spirit.] [1913 Webster]
  • 1. To breathe into; to fill with the breath; to animate. [1913 Webster]
  • When Zephirus eek, with his sweete breath, Inspir[`e]d hath in every holt and heath The tender crops. --Chaucer. [1913 Webster]
  • Descend, ye Nine, descend and sing, The breathing instruments inspire. --Pope. [1913 Webster]
  • 2. To infuse by breathing, or as if by breathing. [1913 Webster]
  • He knew not his Maker, and him that inspired into him an active soul. --Wisdom xv. 11. [1913 Webster]
  • 3. To draw in by the operation of breathing; to inhale; -- opposed to expire. [1913 Webster]
  • Forced to inspire and expire the air with difficulty. --Harvey. [1913 Webster]
  • 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. [1913 Webster]
  • And generous stout courage did inspire. --Spenser. [1913 Webster]
  • But dawning day new comfort hath inspired. --Shak. [1913 Webster]
  • 5. To infuse into; to affect, as with a superior or supernatural influence; to fill with what animates, enlivens, or exalts; to communicate inspiration to; as, to inspire a child with sentiments of virtue; to inspire a person to do extraordinary feats. [1913 Webster +PJC]
  • Erato, thy poet's mind inspire, And fill his soul with thy celestial fire. --Dryden. [1913 Webster]

Definition of 'Inspire'

From: GCIDE
  • Inspire \In*spire"\, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Inspired; p. pr. & vb. n. Inspiring.] [1913 Webster]
  • 1. To draw in breath; to inhale air into the lungs; -- opposed to expire. [1913 Webster]
  • 2. To breathe; to blow gently. [Obs.] [1913 Webster]
  • And when the wind amongst them did inspire, They wav[`e]d like a penon wide dispread. --Spenser. [1913 Webster]

Synonyms of 'inspire'

From: Moby Thesaurus

Words containing 'Inspire'