Middle English Dictionary Entry
enspīren v.(2)
Entry Info
| Forms | enspīren v.(2) Also in-, ensperen. |
| Etymology | L inspīrāre, OF enspirer. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) Of air: to blow or waft; to blow upon (vegetation) so as to produce growth; (b) to inhale; to exhale or give off (fragrance); to breath out or permit (life) to escape.
Associated quotations
a
- (c1387-95) Chaucer CT.Prol.(Manly-Rickert)A.6 : Whan Zephirus eek with his sweete breeth Inspired [vrr. spyred, enspirith] hath in euery holt and heeth The tendre croppes.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)1.3917 : Zephirus..Þe tendre braunchis enspireþ & doþe springe.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)2.671 : Þe stretis large & wyde Wer..sette so and deuided, Þat holsom eyr amyddis myȝt enspire.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)2.6125 : Þe wynde callid Zephirus Benignely enspired hath oon lofte Thatempre eyr, þe wedir fair & softe.
- (?1440) Palladius (DukeH d.2)1.174 : The southern wynd enspirith bettir wyn.
b
- a1425 *Medulla (Stnh A.1.10)34b(2)/a : Inspiro: to enspiren.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)12a/a : Þe aer is inspired & respired vn to þe pulmon.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)52a/b : Wondez persyng to þe inwardnez of membrez ar demed mortale..for bi hem is inspired þe spirit And is offended and febled þe vertue.
- a1475(?a1430) Lydg.Pilgr.(Vit C.13)3459 : Medwe & pleyn And hilles hih, ek spyce & greyn I [Nature] make to enspyre soote.
2.
To breath or put (life or spirit into the human body); to impart reason (to man's soul).
Associated quotations
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Dc 369(1))Wisd.15.11 : [God] that made hym and that enspirede to hym a soule.
- (c1390) Gower CA 1st Concl.(Bod 902)8.2976* : He which withinne dayes sevene..thilke intelligence In mannes soule resonable Enspired, to himself semblable.
3.
(a) To fill, imbue, or endow (the mind, the heart, with religious ardor, a clean spirit, grace, etc.); (b) of the Scriptures: enspired of God, filled with divine spirit or power; (c) to impart (grace, charity, etc.).
Associated quotations
a
- c1390 In a Pistel (Vrn)81 : Preye we to god vr soules enspire Or we ben logged in erþe lowe.
- (a1438) MKempe A (Add 61823)40/18 : Sche was..indued wyth grace of þe Holy Gost, to whom it longyth to enspyr wher he wyl.
- c1460(a1449) Lydg.2 Merch.(Hrl 2255)633 : Goode Lord, lat me Thy grace fynde..me enspeere, puttyng in my mynde Som hoope of refut.
- a1450(?a1349) ?Rolle Heyle Ihū my (Cmb Dd.5.64)9 : Jhesu, þi grace my hert enspyre, þat me til blis mai bryng.
- a1450(c1410) Lovel.Grail (Corp-C 80)15.445 : We so with Cristes passioun enspired were, That Al his deth forgoten we there.
- c1450(?c1400) Wycl.Elucid.(StJ-C G.25)3 : Bi þat weye þat alle thinges ben enspired & qwikened, he is cleped þe hooly goost.
- c1450 Capgr.St.Kath.(Arun 396)69 : Prey god..Enspyre ovre wyttis wyth his prevy grace.
- (c1450) Let.Oxf.in OHS 35295 : Oure lord god inspyre you..with helth of soule and body.
- ?a1475 Ludus C.(Vsp D.8)36/28 : All myghty god of his gret grace enspyre men with hertely wyll for to sese of here trespace.
- a1500(c1340) Rolle Psalter (UC 64)147.7 : Thai melt halsumly in godis luf alsone as his gaste enspiris thaire hert.
- a1500(?c1425) Spec.Sacer.(Add 36791)235/24 : [St. Martin]..was inspired with God and ȝeuen al to God fro his childe-hode.
b
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))2 Tim.3.16 : Al scripture of God ynspyrid is profitable to teche.
- a1425(a1400) Paul.Epist.(Corp-C 32)2 Tim.3.16 : Eche scripture enspiryd of god is profitable.
c
- a1425(c1395) WBible(2) (Roy 1.C.8)Ecclus.4.12 : Wisdom enspirith lijf [gloss: that is, purpos and desir of betere lyif] to hise sones.
- (a1438) MKempe A (Add 61823)41/17 : Thankyth hym [the Holy Ghost]..þat now in owyr days wel inspir hys grace in ȝow.
- c1475(c1450) Idley Instr.(Cmb Ee.4.37)2.B.2410 : Leete petie in your hertis with cherite be enspired.
4.
To impart or inspire (knowledge, wisdom, insight); to enlighten or inspire (someone); to inform (sb.) by divine inspiration (that sth. is the case); enspired eloquence, inspired style or diction.
Associated quotations
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)1.189 : In þe cop þerof is the temple of Delphicus Apollo, and..oute of þat pitte philosofres were inspired.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)4.2200 : Mi fader, bot I were enspired Thurgh lore of you, I wot no weie What gentilesce is forto seie.
- (1417) Let.War France in Bk.Lond.E.(Gldh LetBk I & K)69 : The kyngly desyre of your inspired excellence deliteth to here of the welfare of your forsayd Cite.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)3.712 : Blisful Venus, this nyght thow me enspire.
- ?a1425(a1400) Brut-1377 (Corp-C 174)307/16 : Edward, Prins of Walys, as a man enspired of God, was..tretyng & spekyng of þe chalangyng & of the Kingez right of Engelond.
- c1450(a1449) Lydg.SSecr.(Sln 2464)220 : [Philip of Tripoli]..Thorugh his sugryd Enspyred Elloquence Kowde of ther tounge make a translacyoun.
- (a1460) Bokenham Sts. (Adv Abbotsford B3)17.743 (v.1:p.174) : Antony, enspired that they ment so .., Thus vttrid his conceit ful devoutelye.
- c1475(c1450) Idley Instr.(Cmb Ee.4.37)2.A.1205 : The childe was enspired with the holy goste.
- a1500(?a1390) Mirk Fest.(GoughETop 4)168/6 : Thys I haue sayde to you as God hath enspyret me.
- a1500(?a1390) Mirk Fest.(GoughETop 4)157/4 : Some he enspyryþe so wythyn-forth..and makyþ hom know befor þat woll fall aftyr.
- c1450(?c1425) St.Mary Oign.(Dc 114)178/26 : Þat rymed dyte was enspyred to hir wiþouten alle difficulte.
5.
To prompt or induce (someone to do something).
Associated quotations
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)167a/a : Þe lawe and þe spirit þat inspirid prophetes techen men sothenesse.
- c1400(?a1387) PPl.C (Hnt HM 137)17.243 : As holyness and honeste out of holy churche Spryngeþ and spredeþ and enspireþ the peuple.
- c1400 Bible SNT(1) (Selw 108 L.1)2 Pet.1.21 : Holy men han y-spoke as þe Holy Spiryt of God hath enspyred hem.
- a1425 Wycl.Serm.(Bod 788)1.136 : Seint Petre and oþer Cristis apostlis..diden never siche dedis but whan God enspiride hem.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)2.2189 : As sche [Nature] doth enspire.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)4.187 : What goost may yow enspyre, This womman thus to shilde?
- 1447 Bokenham Sts.(Arun 327)1043 : To performyn this holy decre, We trowe that god hath inspyryd the.
- c1460(a1449) Lydg.St.Austin (Hrl 2255)141 : Grace of our Lord did hym so inspire..Of aventur his herte gan desire To entre a village.
- (1449) RParl.5.152a : Not dredyng ye sharpe sentens of David, inspirid with ye Holy Gost.
- a1475 Godstow Reg.(Rwl B.408)645/3 : Whenne that the Abbas is dede, that the Mynchyns chese a-nother of the same couent, as god inspirith hem.
- a1500(c1340) Rolle Psalter (UC 64)3.5 : My lord..enspired my hert forto hate synne.
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)114/446 : We had sene That many sant desyryd, with prophetys inspyryd.