v.tr.
1. stimulate or arouse (a person) to esp. creative activity, esp. by supposed divine or supernatural agency (your faith inspired him; inspired by God).
2 a (usu. foll. by with) animate (a person) with a feeling. b (usu. foll. by into) instil (a feeling) into a person etc. c (usu. foll. by in) create (a feeling) in a person.
3 prompt; give rise to (the poem was inspired by the autumn).
4 (as inspired adj.) a (of a work of art etc.) as if prompted by or emanating from a supernatural source; characterized by inspiration (an inspired speech). b (of a guess) intuitive but accurate.
5 (also absol.) breathe in (air etc.); inhale.
Derivatives:
inspiratory adj. inspiredly adv. inspirer n. inspiring adj. inspiringly adv.
Etymology: ME f. OF inspirer f. L inspirare breathe in (as IN-(2), spirare breathe)