Hypertext Webster Gateway: "inspire"
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Inspire \In*spire"\, v. 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
wav[`e]d like a penon wide dispread. --Spenser.
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Inspire \In*spire"\, v. 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,
Inspir[`e]d hath in every holt and health 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.
From WordNet (r) 1.7 (wn)
inspire
v 1: heighten or intensify; "These paintings exalt the
imagination" [syn: {animate}, {invigorate}, {enliven}, {exalt}]
2: supply the inspiration for; "The article about the artist
inspired the exhibition of his recent work"
3: serve as the inciting cause of; "She prompted me to call my
relatives" [syn: {prompt}, {instigate}]
4: urge on or encourage esp. by shouts; "The crowd cheered the
demonstrating strikers" [syn: {cheer}, {urge}, {barrack},
{urge on}, {exhort}, {pep up}]
5: fill with revolutionary ideas [syn: {revolutionize}, {revolutionise},
{infect}]
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