inspire

inspire
    v 1: heighten or intensify; "These paintings exalt the
         imagination" [syn: {inspire}, {animate}, {invigorate},
         {enliven}, {exalt}]
    2: supply the inspiration for; "The article about the artist
       inspired the exhibition of his recent work"
    3: serve as the inciting cause of; "She prompted me to call my
       relatives" [syn: {prompt}, {inspire}, {instigate}]
    4: spur on or encourage especially by cheers and shouts; "The
       crowd cheered the demonstrating strikers" [syn: {cheer},
       {root on}, {inspire}, {urge}, {barrack}, {urge on}, {exhort},
       {pep up}]
    5: fill with revolutionary ideas [syn: {revolutionize},
       {revolutionise}, {inspire}]
    6: draw in (air); "Inhale deeply"; "inhale the fresh mountain
       air"; "The patient has trouble inspiring"; "The lung cancer
       patient cannot inspire air very well" [syn: {inhale},
       {inspire}, {breathe in}] [ant: {breathe out}, {exhale},
       {expire}]
    

Inspire \In*spire"\ ([i^]n*sp[imac]r"), v. t. [OE. enspiren, OF.
   enspirer, inspirer, F. inspirer, fr. L. inspirare; pref. in-
   in + spirare to breathe. See {Spirit}.]
   [1913 Webster]
   1. To breathe into; to fill with the breath; to animate.
      [1913 Webster]

            When Zephirus eek, with his sweete breath,
            Inspir[`e]d hath in every holt and heath
            The tender crops.                     --Chaucer.
      [1913 Webster]

            Descend, ye Nine, descend and sing,
            The breathing instruments inspire.    --Pope.
      [1913 Webster]

   2. To infuse by breathing, or as if by breathing.
      [1913 Webster]

            He knew not his Maker, and him that inspired into
            him an active soul.                   --Wisdom xv.
                                                  11.
      [1913 Webster]

   3. To draw in by the operation of breathing; to inhale; --
      opposed to {expire}.
      [1913 Webster]

            Forced to inspire and expire the air with
            difficulty.                           --Harvey.
      [1913 Webster]

   4. 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.
      [1913 Webster]

            And generous stout courage did inspire. --Spenser.
      [1913 Webster]

            But dawning day new comfort hath inspired. --Shak.
      [1913 Webster]

   5. 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; to inspire a
      person to do extraordinary feats.
      [1913 Webster +PJC]

            Erato, thy poet's mind inspire,
            And fill his soul with thy celestial fire. --Dryden.
      [1913 Webster]
    

Inspire \In*spire"\, v. i. [imp. & p. p. {Inspired}; p. pr. &
   vb. n. {Inspiring}.]
   [1913 Webster]
   1. To draw in breath; to inhale air into the lungs; --
      opposed to {expire}.
      [1913 Webster]

   2. To breathe; to blow gently. [Obs.]
      [1913 Webster]

            And when the wind amongst them did inspire,
            They wav[`e]d like a penon wide dispread. --Spenser.
      [1913 Webster]
    

142 Moby Thesaurus words for "inspire":
      activate, actuate, affect, affirm, afford hope, animate, arouse,
      aspirate, assure, augur well, awaken, bid fair, blow, bolster,
      boost, brace up, breathe, breathe hard, breathe in, breathe out,
      brighten, bring, bring about, bring on, buck up, buoy up, buttress,
      call forth, call up, carry, cause, cheer, confirm, contrive, cough,
      draw down, draw in, draw on, effect, elicit, embolden, embue,
      encourage, endow, endue, energize, enliven, evoke, exalt, excite,
      exhale, exhaust, exhilarate, expel, expire, fire, fortify,
      galvanize, gasp, get, give a lift, give hope, gladden, gulp, hack,
      have good prospects, hearten, hiccup, hold out hope,
      hold out promise, huff, imbue, impress, induce, infect, influence,
      inform, infuse, inhale, inject, inoculate, inspire hope, inspirit,
      instigate, invigorate, justify hope, kindle, lead, liven,
      make fair promise, motivate, move, muster up, nerve, obtain, pant,
      pick up, procure, promise, prompt, provoke, puff, quicken,
      raise expectations, raise hope, rally, reassure, reinforce,
      rejoice, rejoice the heart, respire, rouse, set up, sigh, slurp,
      sneeze, sniff, sniffle, snore, snort, snuff, snuff in, snuffle,
      spirit, spirit up, stimulate, stir, strengthen, strike, suck,
      suck in, suckle, summon up, superinduce, support, sway, touch,
      uplift, vitalize, vivify, waken, wheeze