Definitions for INSPIREɪnˈspaɪər

Random House Webster's College Dictionary

in•spireɪnˈspaɪər(v.)-spired, -spir•ing.

(v.t.)to fill with an animating, quickening, or exalting influence:
Her courage inspired her followers.
to produce or arouse (a feeling, thought, etc.):
to inspire confidence.
to fill or affect with a feeling, thought, etc.
to influence or impel:
Competition inspired them to greater efforts.
to communicate or suggest by a divine or supernatural influence.
to guide or control by divine influence.
to give rise to, bring about, cause, etc.:
a philosophy that inspired a revolution.
to take (air, gases, etc.) into the lungs in breathing; inhale.
Archaic. to infuse (breath, life, etc.) by breathing. to breathe into or upon.
(v.i.)to give inspiration.
to inhale.

Origin of inspire:

1300–50; ME < L inspīrāre to breathe upon or into =in-in-2+spīrāre to breathe

in•spir′ing•ly(adv.)

Princeton's WordNet

inspire, animate, invigorate, enliven, exalt(verb)
heighten or intensify
"These paintings exalt the imagination"
inspire(verb)
supply the inspiration for
"The article about the artist inspired the exhibition of his recent work"
prompt, inspire, instigate(verb)
serve as the inciting cause of
"She prompted me to call my relatives"
cheer, root on, inspire, urge, barrack, urge on, exhort, pep up(verb)
spur on or encourage especially by cheers and shouts
"The crowd cheered the demonstrating strikers"
revolutionize, revolutionise, inspire(verb)
fill with revolutionary ideas
inhale, inspire, breathe in(verb)
draw in (air)
"Inhale deeply"; "inhale the fresh mountain air"; "The patient has trouble inspiring"; "The lung cancer patient cannot inspire air very well"

Kernerman English Learner's Dictionary

inspire(verb)ɪnˈspaɪər
to cause sb to want to do sth, or to have an idea or feeling
Listening to him as a child inspired me to be a musician.; The design was inspired by a shell she found on the beach.; His leadership inspires confidence in people.; an inspiring speaker/performer/leader; The sermon was inspiring.

Wiktionary

inspire(Verb)
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.
inspire(Verb)
To infuse into; to affect, as with a superior or supernatural influence; to fill with what animates, enlivens or exalts; to communicate inspiration to.
Elders should inspire children with sentiments of virtue.
inspire(Verb)
To draw in by the operation of breathing; to inhale.
inspire(Verb)
To infuse by breathing, or as if by breathing.
inspire(Verb)
To breathe into; to fill with the breath; to animate.
inspire(Verb)
To spread rumour indirectly.

Origin: From enspirer, from inspirare, present active infinitive of inspiro, itself a loan-translation of the Ancient Greek πνέω in the Bible, from in + spiro.

Webster Dictionary

Inspire(verb)
to breathe into; to fill with the breath; to animate
Inspire(verb)
to infuse by breathing, or as if by breathing
Inspire(verb)
to draw in by the operation of breathing; to inhale; -- opposed to expire
Inspire(verb)
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
Inspire(verb)
to infuse into; to affect, as with a superior or supernatural influence; to fill with what animates, enlivens, or exalts; to communicate inspiration to; as, to inspire a child with sentiments of virtue
Inspire(verb)
to draw in breath; to inhale air into the lungs; -- opposed to expire
Inspire(verb)
to breathe; to blow gently