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admire - 4 dictionary results

ad⋅mire

  [ad-mahyuhr] verb, -mired, -mir⋅ing.
Use admire in a Sentence
–verb (used with object)
1. to regard with wonder, pleasure, or approval.
2. to regard with wonder or surprise (usually used ironically or sarcastically): I admire your audacity.
–verb (used without object)
3. to feel or express admiration.
4. Dialect. to take pleasure; like or desire: I would admire to go.
—Idiom
5. be admiring of, Chiefly South Midland and Southern U.S. to admire: He's admiring of his brother's farm.
Origin:
1580–90; < L admīrārī, equiv. to ad- ad- + mīrārī (in ML mīrāre) to wonder at, admire

Related forms:
ad⋅mir⋅er, noun

Synonyms:
1. esteem, revere, venerate.

Antonyms:
1. despise.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To admire
ad·mire   (ād-mīr')   
v.   ad·mired, ad·mir·ing, ad·mires

v.   tr.
  1. To regard with pleasure, wonder, and approval.
  2. To have a high opinion of; esteem or respect.
  3. Chiefly New England & Upper Southern U.S. To enjoy (something): "I just admire to get letters, but I don't admire to answer them" (Dialect Notes).
  4. Archaic To marvel or wonder at.
v.   intr. New England & Upper Southern U.S.
To marvel at something. Often used with at.

[French admirer, from Old French amirer, from Latin admīrārī, to wonder at : ad-, ad- + mīrārī, to wonder (from mīrus, wonderful; see smei- in Indo-European roots).]
ad·mir'er n., ad·mir'ing·ly adv.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Admire

Ad*mire"\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Admired; p. pr. & vb. n. Admiring.] [F. admirer, fr. L. admirari; ad + mirari to wonder, for smirari, akin to Gr. ? to smile, Skr. smi, and E. smile.]

1. To regard with wonder or astonishment; to view with surprise; to marvel at. [Archaic]

Examples rather to be admired than imitated. --Fuller.

2. To regard with wonder and delight; to look upon with an elevated feeling of pleasure, as something which calls out approbation, esteem, love, or reverence; to estimate or prize highly; as, to admire a person of high moral worth, to admire a landscape.

Admired as heroes and as gods obeyed. --Pope.

Note: Admire followed by the infinitive is obsolete or colloquial; as, I admire to see a man consistent in his conduct.

Syn: To esteem; approve; delight in.

Admire

Ad*mire"\, v. i. To wonder; to marvel; to be affected with surprise; -- sometimes with at.

To wonder at Pharaoh, and even admire at myself. --Fuller.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
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Language Translation for : admire
Spanish: admirar,
German: bewundern,
Japanese: 賞賛する
More Translations »
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