inspire
Use Inspire in a sentence
verb (used with object)
1.
to fill with an animating, quickening, or exalting influence: His courage inspired his followers.
2.
to produce or arouse (a feeling, thought, etc.): to inspire confidence in others.
3.
to fill or affect with a specified feeling, thought, etc.: to inspire a person with distrust.
4.
to influence or impel: Competition inspired her to greater efforts.
5.
to animate, as an influence, feeling, thought, or the like, does: They were inspired by a belief in a better future.
6.
to communicate or suggest by a divine or supernatural influence: writings inspired by God.
7.
to guide or control by divine influence.
8.
to prompt or instigate (utterances, acts, etc.) by influence, without avowal of responsibility.
9.
to give rise to, bring about, cause, etc.: a philosophy that inspired a revolution.
10.
to take (air, gases, etc.) into the lungs in breathing; inhale.
11.
Archaic.
a.
to infuse (breath, life, etc.) by breathing (usually followed by into ).
b.
to breathe into or upon.
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Inspire
is one of our favorite verbs.
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| to run away hurriedly; flee. |
Origin:
1300–50; Middle English inspiren < Latin inspīrāre to breathe upon or into, equivalent to in- in-2 + spīrāre to breathe
1300–50; Middle English inspiren < Latin inspīrāre to breathe upon or into, equivalent to in- in-2 + spīrāre to breathe
Related forms
in·spir·er, noun
in·spir·ing·ly, adverb
pre·in·spire, verb (used with object), pre·in·spired, pre·in·spir·ing.
pseu·do·in·spir·ing, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
Cite This Source
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Link To inspire
Collins
World English Dictionary
inspire (ɪnˈspaɪə) ![[Click for IPA pronunciation guide]](http://static.sfdict.com/dictstatic/g/d/dictionary_questionbutton_default.gif) | |
| —vb | |
| 1. | to exert a stimulating or beneficial effect upon (a person); animate or invigorate |
| 2. | (tr; |
| 3. | (tr) to prompt or instigate; give rise to: her beauty inspired his love |
| 4. | (tr; often passive) to guide or arouse by divine influence or inspiration |
| 5. | to take or draw (air, gas, etc) into the lungs; inhale |
| 6. | archaic (tr) |
| a. to breathe into or upon | |
| b. to breathe life into | |
| [C14 (in the sense: to breathe upon, blow into): from Latin inspīrāre, from spīrāre to breathe] | |
| in'spirable | |
| —adj | |
| in'spirative | |
| —adj | |
| in'spirer | |
| —n | |
| in'spiringly | |
| —adv | |
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
Cite This Source
Etymonline
Word Origin & History
inspire
mid-14c., from O.Fr. enspirer (12c.), from L. inspirare (see inspiration), a loan-translation of Gk. pnein in the Bible. General sense of "influence or animate with an idea or purpose" is from late 14c.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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American Heritage
Medical Dictionary
inspire in·spire (ĭn-spīr')
v. in·spired, in·spir·ing, in·spires
To draw in breath; to inhale.
The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Cite This Source
Example sentences
Enough said for what wasn't being taught to inspire students to think mathematically.
Coke insists that its aim is not to cut costs but to inspire creativity and efficiency.
And you will see people inspired by this idea that artists' work should be public, tell stories and inspire people.
There's also the human-to-human connection with bookmobile librarians, who steer and inspire their visitors' reading patterns.
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