Library / English Dictionary

INSPIRE

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 I. (verb) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Draw in (air)

Example:

The lung cancer patient cannot inspire air very well

Synonyms:

breathe in; inhale; inspire

Classified under:

Verbs of grooming, dressing and bodily care

Hypernyms (to "inspire" is one way to...):

breathe; respire; suspire; take a breath (draw air into, and expel out of, the lungs)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "inspire"):

aspirate (inhale (air, water, etc.))

sniff; sniffle (inhale audibly through the nose)

snivel; snuffle (snuff up mucus through the nose)

snuff (inhale (something) through the nose)

drag; draw; puff (suck in or take (air))

huff; snort (inhale recreational drugs)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s something

Derivation:

inspiration (the act of inhaling; the drawing in of air (or other gases) as in breathing)

inspiratory (pertaining to the drawing in phase of respiration)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Fill with revolutionary ideas

Synonyms:

inspire; revolutionise; revolutionize

Classified under:

Verbs of thinking, judging, analyzing, doubting

Hypernyms (to "inspire" is one way to...):

indoctrinate (teach doctrines to; teach uncritically)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s somebody
Something ----s somebody

Derivation:

inspirer (a leader who stimulates and excites people to action)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Serve as the inciting cause of

Example:

She prompted me to call my relatives

Synonyms:

inspire; instigate; prompt

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Hypernyms (to "inspire" is one way to...):

cause; get; have; induce; make; stimulate (cause to do; cause to act in a specified manner)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s somebody to INFINITIVE

Sentence example:

They inspire him to write the letter

Sense 4

Meaning:

Spur on or encourage especially by cheers and shouts

Example:

The crowd cheered the demonstrating strikers

Synonyms:

barrack; cheer; exhort; inspire; pep up; root on; urge; urge on

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Hypernyms (to "inspire" is one way to...):

encourage (inspire with confidence; give hope or courage to)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "inspire"):

cheerlead (act as a cheerleader in a sports event)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s somebody

Sentence example:

They inspire him to write the letter

Sense 5

Meaning:

Supply the inspiration for

Example:

The article about the artist inspired the exhibition of his recent work

Classified under:

Verbs of sewing, baking, painting, performing

Hypernyms (to "inspire" is one way to...):

occasion (give occasion to)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s something

Derivation:

inspiration (arousal of the mind to special unusual activity or creativity)

Sense 6

Meaning:

Heighten or intensify

Example:

These paintings exalt the imagination

Synonyms:

animate; enliven; exalt; inspire; invigorate

Classified under:

Verbs of feeling

Hypernyms (to "inspire" is one way to...):

excite; shake; shake up; stimulate; stir (stir the feelings, emotions, or peace of)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "inspire"):

encourage (inspire with confidence; give hope or courage to)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s somebody
Something ----s somebody

Sentence example:

The performance is likely to inspire Sue

Credits

 Context examples: 

Inspired by the water-repellent lotus leaf, the new surface works through a combination of nano-scale surface engineering and chemistry.

(Scientists Create Superbug-Resistant Self-Cleaning Surface, The Titi Tudorancea Bulletin)

"The great migrations of the world have been inspiring people for hundreds of years," said David Toews, a biologist at Penn State and leader of the research team.

(New insights into genetic basis of bird migration, National Science Foundation)

The work was inspired by Araujo's desire to study natural feeding behavior, as opposed to animals passively munching on food pellets.

(Geneticists produce laser-activated killer mice, Wikinews)

Strange delight inspired me: on I hastened.

(Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë)

He had many years ago received such a description of Miss Anne Elliot as had inspired him with the highest idea of her merit, and excited the warmest curiosity to know her.

(Persuasion, by Jane Austen)

He was afraid not even Miss Woodhouse—he stopt a moment—or Miss Smith could inspire him.

(Emma, by Jane Austen)

What feelings have they, the season, the air altogether inspired!

(Sense and Sensibility, by Jane Austen)

Susan had read nothing, and Fanny longed to give her a share in her own first pleasures, and inspire a taste for the biography and poetry which she delighted in herself.

(Mansfield Park, by Jane Austen)

The shock, however, being less real than the relief, offered it no injury; and she began to talk with easy gaiety of the delightful melancholy which such a grove inspired.

(Northanger Abbey, by Jane Austen)

A measurement of carbon monoxide (CO) transfer from inspired gas to pulmonary capillary blood.

(Carbon Monoxide Diffusing Capability Test, NCI Thesaurus)