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Webster's New World College Dictionary » inspiring
inspiring
Variant of inspire
inspire
definition
in·spire (in spīr′)
transitive verb inspired -·spired′, inspiring -·spir′·ing
- Obsolete
- to breathe or blow upon or into
- to infuse (life, etc. into) by breathing
- to draw (air) into the lungs; inhale
- to have an animating effect upon; influence or impel; esp., to stimulate or impel to some creative or effective effort
- to cause, guide, communicate, or motivate as by divine or supernatural influence
- to arouse or produce (a thought or feeling) kindness inspires love
- to affect with a specified feeling or thought to inspire someone with fear
- to occasion, cause, or produce
- to prompt, or cause to be written or said, by influence to inspire a rumor
Etymology: ME inspiren < OFr inspirer < L inspirare < in-, in, on + spirare, to breathe: see spirit
intransitive verb
- to inhale
- to give inspiration
Related Forms:
- inspirable in·spir′·able adjective
- inspirer in·spir′er noun
Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2005 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
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