inspire Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. verb heighten or intensify
    invigorate; enliven; animate; exalt.
    • These paintings exalt the imagination
  2. verb supply the inspiration for
    • The article about the artist inspired the exhibition of his recent work
  3. verb serve as the inciting cause of
    prompt; instigate.
    • She prompted me to call my relatives
  4. verb spur on or encourage especially by cheers and shouts
    urge; exhort; barrack; cheer; urge on; root on; pep up.
    • The crowd cheered the demonstrating strikers
  5. verb fill with revolutionary ideas
    revolutionize; revolutionise.
  6. verb draw in (air)
    breathe in; inhale.
    • Inhale deeply
    • inhale the fresh mountain air
    • The patient has trouble inspiring
    • The lung cancer patient cannot inspire air very well

WordNet


In*spire" transitive verb
Etymology
OE. enspiren, OF. enspirer, inspirer, F. inspirer, fr. L. inspirare; pref. in- in + spirare to breathe. See Spirit.
Definitions
  1. To breathe into; to fill with the breath; to animate.
    When Zephirus eek, with his sweete breath, Inspirèd 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.
  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.
    And generous stout courage did inspire. Spenser.
    But dawning day new comfort hath inspired. Shak.
  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.
    Erato, thy poet's mind inspire, And fill his soul with thy celestial fire. Dryden.
In*spire" intransitive verb
Wordforms
imperfect & past participle Inspired; present participle & verbal noun Inspiring
Definitions
  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 wavèd like a penon wide dispread. Spenser.

Webster 1913