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suspire

 - 3 dictionary results

sus⋅pire

  [suh-spahyuhr] verb, -pired, -pir⋅ing.
Use suspire in a Sentence
–verb (used without object)
1. to sigh.
2. to breathe.
–verb (used with object)
3. to sigh; utter with long, sighing breaths.
Origin:
1400–50; late ME < L suspīrāre, equiv. to su- su- + spīrāre to breathe
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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sus·pire   (sə-spīr')   
intr.v.   sus·pired, sus·pir·ing, sus·pires

  1. To breathe: "And from that one intake of fire/All creatures still warmly suspire" (Robert Frost).

  2. To sigh.


[Middle English suspiren, to sigh, from Old French, from Latin suspīrāre : sub-, from below; see sub- + spīrāre, to breathe.]
sus'pi·ra'tion (sŭs'pə-rā'shən) n.
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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Word Origin & History

suspire 
1450, from L. suspirare "to draw a deep breath, sigh," from sub "under" + spirare "to breathe" (see spirit).
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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