inspire
See also: inspiré and inspirē
English
Etymology
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”).
Pronunciation
- (General American) IPA(key): /ɪn.ˈspaɪɹ/
- (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /ɪn.ˈspaɪə(ɹ)/
- Rhymes: -aɪə(ɹ)
Audio (UK) (file)
Verb
inspire (third-person singular simple present inspires, present participle inspiring, simple past and past participle inspired)
- (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 964384981, Wisdom 15:11:
- He knew not his Maker, and him that inspired into him an active soul.
- c. 1588–1593, William Shakespeare, “The Lamentable Tragedy of Titus Andronicus”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies: Published According to the True Originall Copies (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, OCLC 606515358, (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.
-
- (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 403869432:
- Erato, thy poet's mind inspire, / And fill his soul with thy celestial fire.
- (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.
-
- To infuse by breathing, or as if by breathing.
- (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 43265629, 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!
-
- (transitive) To spread rumour indirectly.
Conjugation
Conjugation of inspire
| infinitive | (to) inspire | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| present tense | past tense | ||
| 1st-person singular | inspire | inspired | |
| 2nd-person singular | |||
| 3rd-person singular | inspires | ||
| plural | inspire | ||
| subjunctive | inspire | inspired | |
| imperative | inspire | — | |
| participles | inspiring | inspired | |
Synonyms
- beghast
Antonyms
- (inhale): expire
Derived terms
- awe-inspiring
- inspirable
- inspirer
- reinspire
Related terms
- inspiration
- inspirational
- inspirator
- inspiratory
Translations
to infuse into the mind; to communicate to the spirit
|
to infuse into; to affect, as with a superior or supernatural influence
|
to inhale — see inhale
to infuse by breathing, or as if by breathing
|
archaic: to breathe into; to fill with the breath; to animate
|
- The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.
Translations to be checked
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Anagrams
- spinier
Asturian
Verb
inspire
- first/third-person singular present subjunctive of inspirar
French
Pronunciation
Audio (file)
Verb
inspire
- inflection of inspirer:
- first/third-person singular present indicative/subjunctive
- second-person singular imperative
Portuguese
Verb
inspire
- inflection of inspirar:
- first/third-person singular present subjunctive
- third-person singular imperative
Romanian
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): [inˈspire]
Verb
inspire
- third-person singular/plural present subjunctive of inspira
Spanish
Verb
inspire
- inflection of inspirar:
- first/third-person singular present subjunctive
- third-person singular imperative