Hypertext Webster Gateway: "enthusiasm"

From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)

Enthusiasm \En*thu"si*asm\, n. [Gr. ?, fr. ? to be inspired or
possessed by the god, fr. ?, ?, inspired: cf. enthousiasme.
See {Entheal}, {Theism}.]
1. Inspiration as if by a divine or superhuman power;
ecstasy; hence, a conceit of divine possession and
revelation, or of being directly subject to some divine
impulse.

Enthusiasm is founded neither on reason nor divine
revelation, but rises from the conceits of a warmed
or overweening imagination. --Locke.

2. A state of impassioned emotion; transport; elevation of
fancy; exaltation of soul; as, the poetry of enthusiasm.

Resolutions adopted in enthusiasm are often repented
of when excitement has been succeeded by the wearing
duties of hard everyday routine. --Froude.

Exhibiting the seeming contradiction of
susceptibility to enthusiasm and calculating
shrewdness. --Bancroft.

3. Enkindled and kindling fervor of soul; strong excitement
of feeling on behalf of a cause or a subject; ardent and
imaginative zeal or interest; as, he engaged in his
profession with enthusiasm.

Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm.
--Emerson.

4. Lively manifestation of joy or zeal.

Philip was greeted with a tumultuous enthusiasm.
--Prescott.

From WordNet (r) 1.7 (wn)

enthusiasm
n 1: a feeling of excitement
2: overflowing with enthusiasm [syn: {exuberance}, {ebullience}]
3: a lively interest; "enthusiasm for his program is growing"


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