Dictionary

admire en · VERB

Pronunciation

• /ədˈmaɪə/ (Received-Pronunciation)
• (US) audio
• /ədˈmʌɪɹ/ Canada, idle-idol split
• /ədˈmaɪɹ/ (General-American)

Etymology

From Middle English admyren, borrowed from Middle French admirer, from Latin admīror, from ad + mīror (“wonder at”).

Meanings

1. (obsolete, transitive) To be amazed at; to view with surprise; to marvel at.
   • examples rather to be admired than imitated 1640, Thomas Fuller, The Holy State:
   • The poor fellow, admiring how he came there, was served in state all day long […]. 1624, Democritus Junior [pseudonym; Robert Burton], The Anatomy of Melancholy: […], 2nd edition, Oxford, Oxfordshire: […] John Lichfield and James Short, for Henry Cripps, →OCLC, partition II, section 2, member 4:
2. (transitive) To regard with wonder and delight.
   • kings ſhall crouch vnto our conquering ſwords, And hoſtes of Souldiers ſtand amazd at vs, When with their fearfull tongues they ſhall confeſſe Theſe are the men that al the world admires, c. 1587–1588 (date written), [Christopher Marlowe], Tamburlaine the Great. […] The First Part […], 2nd edition, part 1, London: […] [R. Robinson for] Richard Iones, […], published 1592, →OCLC; reprinted as Tamburlaine the Great (A Scolar Press Facsimile), Menston, Yorkshire; London: Scolar Press, 1973, →ISBN, Act I, scene ii:
3. (transitive) To look upon with an elevated feeling of pleasure, as something which calls out approbation, esteem, love or reverence.
4. (transitive) To estimate or value highly; to hold in high esteem.
   • to admire a landscape
   • to admire a person of high moral worth
   • I'm so sick and tired of bein' admired. That I wish that I would just die or get fired. 2000, Marshall Mathers (Eminem), “The Way I Am”, in The Marshall Mathers LP:
   • He'd always been (very) much admired by his colleagues.
5. (US, dialectal, rare) To be enthusiastic about (doing something); to want or like (to do something). (Sometimes followed by to.)
   • And I'd admire seeing this creek become a sort of stopping place for geese of one sort and another. 1976, Field & Stream, page 10:
   • “I hope you do. I'd admire seeing a lot of you.” They made camp down at the creek. Will spread her blanket not too far from his. “Well, aren't you a lady's man.” “Why do you say that?” 2002, Jack Jones, Iron Spur, →ISBN, page 37:
   • I'm not sayin' she's touched the Devil, now, but I'd admire to know what books she reads and why she hides them — she'll not answer me, y' see. 1953, Arthur Miller, The Crucible:

Forms

Deriveds

admiredly · admirative · admirer · admiree · readmire · admirate · admiration · unadmired · admirable

Relateds

mirativity · mirate · admiratively · admirably · mirative · miration

Translations (63)

mt ammira (regard with wonder and delight) · hu csodál (regard with wonder and delight) · sga ad·amraigedar (regard with wonder and delight) · gl admirar (regard with wonder and delight) · ko 존경하다 (regard with wonder and delight) · io admirar (regard with wonder and delight) · ar عَجَبَ (regard with wonder and delight) · chr ᎠᏍᏆᏂᎪᏍᎦ (regard with wonder and delight) · cmn 欣賞 /欣赏 (regard with wonder and delight) · th ชม (regard with wonder and delight) · de bewundern (regard with wonder and delight) · sdc ammirà (regard with wonder and delight) · nl bewonderen (regard with wonder and delight) · ca admirar (regard with wonder and delight) · fi ihailla (regard with wonder and delight) · de verehren (regard with wonder and delight) · pl podziwiać (regard with wonder and delight) · pl admirować (regard with wonder and delight) · sc ammirare (regard with wonder and delight) · ko 칭찬하다 (regard with wonder and delight) · ja 感心する (regard with wonder and delight) · bg възхищавам се (regard with wonder and delight) · la suspiciō (regard with wonder and delight) · wyi boorndup (regard with wonder and delight) · oc admirar (regard with wonder and delight) · be захапля́цца (regard with wonder and delight) · nl aanbidden (regard with wonder and delight) · lv apbrīnot (regard with wonder and delight) · bg любува́м се (regard with wonder and delight) · tr hayran olmak (regard with wonder and delight) · cy edmygu (regard with wonder and delight) · pl zachwycać się (regard with wonder and delight) · mi whakamanahau (regard with wonder and delight) · vo stunidön (regard with wonder and delight) · mi miharo (regard with wonder and delight) · sv beundra (regard with wonder and delight) · ru восхища́ться (regard with wonder and delight) · ru восторга́ться (regard with wonder and delight) · pt admirar (regard with wonder and delight) · mi whakamiha (regard with wonder and delight) · da beundre (regard with wonder and delight) · cmn 佩服 (regard with wonder and delight) · oc badar (regard with wonder and delight) · de hochschätzen (regard with wonder and delight) · sdn ammirià (regard with wonder and delight) · it ammirare (regard with wonder and delight) · he הֶעֱרִיץ (regard with wonder and delight) · mi rāhiri (regard with wonder and delight) · el θαυμάζω (regard with wonder and delight) · sq admiroj (regard with wonder and delight) · mi whakamīharo (regard with wonder and delight) · ko 감탄하다 (regard with wonder and delight) · ru любова́ться (regard with wonder and delight) · es admirar (regard with wonder and delight) · la admīror (regard with wonder and delight) · tr bayılmak (regard with wonder and delight) · mk се восхи́тува (regard with wonder and delight) · vi khâm phục (regard with wonder and delight) · cs obdivovat (regard with wonder and delight) · pih aata (regard with wonder and delight) · uk захо́плюватися (regard with wonder and delight) · fr admirer (regard with wonder and delight) · sc ammirai (regard with wonder and delight)