Dictionary

inspire en · VERB

Pronunciation

• /ɪnˈspaɪə(ɹ)/ (New-Zealand)
• [ɪnˈspɑeə(ɹ)] (New-Zealand)
• /ɪnˈspaɪə(ɹ)/ (Received-Pronunciation)
• /ɪnˈspɑeə(ɹ)/ (Australia)
• (Southern-England) audio
• /ɪnˈspaɪɹ/ (Canada, General-American)

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *h₁én Proto-Italic *en Proto-Italic *en- Latin in- Proto-Indo-European *(s)peys-der.? Latin spīrō Latin īnspīrōbor. Old French espirer Old French enspirerbor. Middle English enspiren English inspire From Middle English inspiren, enspiren, from Old French inspirer, variant of espirer, from Latin īnspīrāre (“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”).

Meanings

1. (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.
   • Dawning day new comfort hath inspired. c. 1588–1593 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Lamentable Tragedy of Titus Andronicus”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, (please specify the act number in uppercase Roman numerals, and the scene number in lowercase Roman numerals):
   • […] and whose example of reverence and devotion was so well calculated to inspire confidence and attachment in every class of the community? 1810, Cobbett's Political Register - Volume 17, page 379:
   • He knew not his Maker, and him that inspired into him an active soul. 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Wisdom 15:11:
   • 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. 2012 March-April, Anna Lena Phillips, “Sneaky Silk Moths”, in American Scientist, volume 100, number 2, archived from the original on 19 Feb 2013, page 172:
2. (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.
   • The captain's speech was aimed to inspire her team to victory in the final.
   • Erato, thy poet's mind inspire, / And fill his soul with thy celestial fire. 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:
   • Elders should inspire children with sentiments of virtue.
3. (ambitransitive) To draw in by the operation of breathing; to inhale.
   • Everything was elaborately padded, even the Myers apparatus which was to absorb carbonic acid and replace the oxygen inspired by its tenant 1896, H. G. Wells, In the Abyss, Pearson's Magazine:
   • 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. 1672, Gideon Harvey, Morbus Anglicus, Or, The Anatomy of Consumptions:
4. To infuse by breathing, or as if by breathing.
5. (archaic, transitive) To breathe into; to fill with the breath; to animate.
   • Deſcend ye nine! deſcend and ſing; / The breathing inſtruments inſpire, / VVake into voice each ſilent ſtring, / And ſvveep the ſounding lyre! 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, canto I, page 371:
6. (transitive) To spread rumour indirectly.

Forms

Antonyms

expire (antonym(s) of “inhale”)

Deriveds

reinspire · misinspire · inspirer · philatelically inspired · awe-inspiring · inspirable · inspirometer · bio-inspired · uninspire

Relateds

inspiratory · inspiration · inspirational · awe-inspire · inspirator

Synonyms

beghast

Translations (113)

eo inspiri (to infuse into; to affect, as with a superior or supernatural influence) · lad meter en korasón (to infuse into the mind; to communicate to the spirit) · sv inspirera (to infuse into; to affect, as with a superior or supernatural influence) · hu inspirál (to infuse into the mind; to communicate to the spirit) · hu lelkesít (to infuse into; to affect, as with a superior or supernatural influence) · cmn 吹入 (archaic: to breathe into; to fill with the breath; to animate) · pt inspirar (to infuse into the mind; to communicate to the spirit) · fr inspirer (to infuse into; to affect, as with a superior or supernatural influence) · ru внуши́ть (to infuse into the mind; to communicate to the spirit) · la īnspīrō (archaic: to breathe into; to fill with the breath; to animate) · fi innostaa (to infuse into; to affect, as with a superior or supernatural influence) · mi whakakipakipa (to infuse into; to affect, as with a superior or supernatural influence) · la īnspīrō (to infuse into; to affect, as with a superior or supernatural influence) · ru вдохновля́ть (to infuse into; to affect, as with a superior or supernatural influence) · lv iedvesmot (to infuse into the mind; to communicate to the spirit) · uk надиха́ти (to infuse into; to affect, as with a superior or supernatural influence) · da inspirere (to infuse into the mind; to communicate to the spirit) · uk надихну́ти (to infuse into; to affect, as with a superior or supernatural influence) · la afflō (to infuse into; to affect, as with a superior or supernatural influence) · pl inspirować (to infuse into the mind; to communicate to the spirit) · it ispirare (to infuse by breathing, or as if by breathing) · la iniciō (to infuse into; to affect, as with a superior or supernatural influence) · hu tölt (to infuse by breathing, or as if by breathing) · ru внуша́ть (to infuse into the mind; to communicate to the spirit) · lad inspirar (to infuse into the mind; to communicate to the spirit) · eo inspiri (to infuse into the mind; to communicate to the spirit) · hu önt (to infuse by breathing, or as if by breathing) · hu kelt (to infuse into the mind; to communicate to the spirit) · hu ébreszt (to infuse into the mind; to communicate to the spirit) · zza pısk gıroten (to infuse into the mind; to communicate to the spirit) · cy ysbrydoli (to infuse into the mind; to communicate to the spirit) · cmn 吸入 (to infuse by breathing, or as if by breathing) · lv iedvest (to infuse into the mind; to communicate to the spirit) · lv inspirēt (to infuse into the mind; to communicate to the spirit) · uk всели́ти (to infuse into the mind; to communicate to the spirit) · da inspirere (to infuse into; to affect, as with a superior or supernatural influence) · hu áthat (to infuse by breathing, or as if by breathing) · hu sugalmaz (to infuse into the mind; to communicate to the spirit) · ru вдохнови́ть (to infuse into; to affect, as with a superior or supernatural influence) · gl inspirar (to infuse into; to affect, as with a superior or supernatural influence) · cmn 授意 (to infuse into the mind; to communicate to the spirit) · cy ysbrydoli (to infuse into; to affect, as with a superior or supernatural influence) · nl inspireren (to infuse into the mind; to communicate to the spirit) · hu átjár (to infuse by breathing, or as if by breathing) · de inspirieren (to infuse into the mind; to communicate to the spirit) · ru воодушеви́ть (to infuse into; to affect, as with a superior or supernatural influence) · de einhauchen (to infuse by breathing, or as if by breathing) · fr inspirer (to infuse into the mind; to communicate to the spirit) · fi inspiroida (to infuse into the mind; to communicate to the spirit) · uk надиха́ти (to infuse into the mind; to communicate to the spirit) · uk вдиха́ти (to infuse by breathing, or as if by breathing) · es inspirar (to infuse into; to affect, as with a superior or supernatural influence) · he השרה (to infuse into; to affect, as with a superior or supernatural influence) · el πνέω (to infuse by breathing, or as if by breathing) · mi whakahihiko (to infuse into; to affect, as with a superior or supernatural influence) · fr inspirer (to infuse by breathing, or as if by breathing) · ang onbryrdan (to infuse into the mind; to communicate to the spirit) · hu inspirál (to infuse into; to affect, as with a superior or supernatural influence) · ro inspira (to infuse into; to affect, as with a superior or supernatural influence) · tr esinlemek (to infuse into the mind; to communicate to the spirit) · cmn 鼓舞 (to infuse into the mind; to communicate to the spirit) · sv inspirera (to infuse into the mind; to communicate to the spirit) · es infundir (to infuse into; to affect, as with a superior or supernatural influence) · ca inspirar (to infuse into; to affect, as with a superior or supernatural influence) · ru вдохну́ть (to infuse by breathing, or as if by breathing) · fi elähdyttää (to infuse into the mind; to communicate to the spirit) · bg вдишвам (to infuse by breathing, or as if by breathing) · ca inspirar (to infuse into the mind; to communicate to the spirit) · bg внушавам (to infuse into the mind; to communicate to the spirit) · hu elönt (to infuse by breathing, or as if by breathing) · nl beademen (archaic: to breathe into; to fill with the breath; to animate) · ro inspira (to infuse into the mind; to communicate to the spirit) · hu megihlet (to infuse into the mind; to communicate to the spirit) · gl inspirar (to infuse into the mind; to communicate to the spirit) · de beatmen (to infuse by breathing, or as if by breathing) · nl beademen (to infuse by breathing, or as if by breathing) · pl zainspirować (to infuse into the mind; to communicate to the spirit) · lv inspirēt (to infuse into; to affect, as with a superior or supernatural influence) · hu ösztönöz (to infuse into; to affect, as with a superior or supernatural influence) · uk вселя́ти (to infuse into the mind; to communicate to the spirit) · is hvetja (to infuse into the mind; to communicate to the spirit) · uk наві́яти (to infuse into the mind; to communicate to the spirit) · ru вдыха́ть (to infuse by breathing, or as if by breathing) · fi inspiroida (to infuse into; to affect, as with a superior or supernatural influence) · bg вдъхновявам (to infuse into; to affect, as with a superior or supernatural influence) · he השרה (to infuse into the mind; to communicate to the spirit) · uk вдихну́ти (to infuse by breathing, or as if by breathing) · fi innoittaa (to infuse into the mind; to communicate to the spirit) · zza pısk siyen (to infuse into; to affect, as with a superior or supernatural influence) · mi whakamanawa (to infuse into; to affect, as with a superior or supernatural influence) · hu eltölt (to infuse by breathing, or as if by breathing) · ang onbryrdan (to infuse into; to affect, as with a superior or supernatural influence) · lv iedvest (to infuse into; to affect, as with a superior or supernatural influence) · ru воодушевля́ть (to infuse into; to affect, as with a superior or supernatural influence) · ru вдохновля́ть (to infuse into the mind; to communicate to the spirit) · it ispirare (to infuse into the mind; to communicate to the spirit) · el εμπνέω (to infuse into the mind; to communicate to the spirit) · ka შთააგონებს (to infuse into the mind; to communicate to the spirit) · hu ihletet ad (to infuse into the mind; to communicate to the spirit) · tr ilham vermek (to infuse into the mind; to communicate to the spirit) · ru вдохнови́ть (to infuse into the mind; to communicate to the spirit) · cmn 吹奏 (archaic: to breathe into; to fill with the breath; to animate) · it ispirare (archaic: to breathe into; to fill with the breath; to animate) · de inspirieren (to infuse into; to affect, as with a superior or supernatural influence) · mi toitoi manawa (to infuse into; to affect, as with a superior or supernatural influence) · uk наві́ювати (to infuse into the mind; to communicate to the spirit) · cmn 影响 (to infuse into; to affect, as with a superior or supernatural influence) · uk надихну́ти (to infuse into the mind; to communicate to the spirit) · hy ոգեշնչել (to infuse into; to affect, as with a superior or supernatural influence) · cs inspirovat (to infuse into the mind; to communicate to the spirit) · mi whakaohooho (to infuse into; to affect, as with a superior or supernatural influence) · la afflō (to infuse by breathing, or as if by breathing) · lv iedvesmot (to infuse into; to affect, as with a superior or supernatural influence)