— inspirative /in spuyeur"euh tiv, in"spi ray'tiv/ , adj. — inspirer , n. — inspiringly , adv.
/in spuyeur"/ , v. , inspired, inspiring .
v.t.
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 fol. by into ).
b. to breathe into or upon.
v.i.
12. to give inspiration.
13. to inhale.
[ 1300-50; ME inspiren inspirare to breathe upon or into, equiv. to in- IN- 2 + spirare to breathe ]