Dictionary

conspire en · VERB

Pronunciation

• /kənˈspaɪə(ɹ)/
• (Southern-England) audio

Etymology

From Middle English conspiren, from Old French conspirer, from Latin conspirare, conspīrō, from con- (combining form of cum (“with”)) + spīrō (“breathe”).

Meanings

1. (intransitive) To secretly plot or make plans together, often with the intention to bring bad or illegal results; to collude, to connive, to plot.
   • And there came a man, rushing from the farthest end of the city. He said, “O Moses! The chiefs are actually conspiring against you to put you to death, so leave ˹the city˺. I really advise you ˹to do so˺.” 2015, Mustafa Khattab, transl., The Clear Quran, →ISBN, surah 28, verse 20:
   • They conspired against [Joseph] to slay him. 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Genesis 37:18:
2. (intransitive) To agree, to concur to one end.
   • The press, the pulpit, and the stage / Conspire to censure and expose our age.
   • I feel my vanquish'd heart conspire To crown a flame by Heav'n approv'd. 1744, Georg Friedrich Händel, Hercules, act 3, scene 5:
3. (transitive) To work together to bring about.
   • Angry clouds conspire your overthrow. 1597, [Joseph Hall], “(please specify the page)”, in Virgidemiarum, Sixe Bookes. First Three Bookes, of Tooth-lesse Satyrs. […], London: […] Thomas Creede, for Robert Dexter, →OCLC:
   • Rain and sweat conspired to smudge her mascara.

Forms

Deriveds

nonconspiring · conspiringly · conspirophile · unconspiring · unconspired · coconspire

Relateds

co-conspirator · spirit · inspire · conspiration · conspirator · conspiracy

Synonyms

collogue (secretly plot)

Translations (49)

hu összeesküszik (to secretly plot) · nl samenzweren (to secretly plot) · la coniūrō (to secretly plot) · de sich verschwören (to secretly plot) · ru замышля́ть (to secretly plot) · mi kakai (to secretly plot) · gl urdir (to secretly plot) · uk змо́витися (to secretly plot) · ast guarnir (to secretly plot) · mi whakatakoto kara (to secretly plot) · tr komplo kurmak (to secretly plot) · cmn 勾结 (to secretly plot) · eo komploti (to secretly plot) · pl kombinować (to secretly plot) · ru сговори́ться (to secretly plot) · ja 企む (to secretly plot) · ast urdir (to secretly plot) · pt conspirar (to secretly plot) · pl uknuć (to secretly plot) · bg заговорнича (to secretly plot) · cy cynllwynio (to secretly plot) · ml ഗൂഢാലോചന നടത്തുക (to secretly plot) · vi hiệp lực (to try to make things go a certain way) · uk змовля́тися (to secretly plot) · pl spiskować (to secretly plot) · eo konspiri (to secretly plot) · tr gizlice anlaşmak (to secretly plot) · sq komplotoj (to secretly plot) · pl knuć (to secretly plot) · ru сгова́риваться (to secretly plot) · es conspirar (to secretly plot) · hu konspirál (to secretly plot) · oc conspirar (to secretly plot) · el συνωμοτώ (to secretly plot) · da sammensværge sig (to secretly plot) · es conspirar (to try to make things go a certain way) · ast maquilar (to secretly plot) · ca conspirar (to secretly plot) · ar اِئْتَمَرَ (to secretly plot) · id bersekongkol (to secretly plot) · pl konspirować (to secretly plot) · vi chung sức (to try to make things go a certain way) · id berkomplot (to secretly plot) · vi mưu hại (to secretly plot) · fi juonitella (to secretly plot) · es contlapachearse (to secretly plot) · csb kònspirowac (to secretly plot) · vi âm mưu (to secretly plot) · ar تَآمَرَ (to secretly plot)