Middle English Dictionary Entry
suspīren v.
Entry Info
| Forms | suspīren v. |
| Etymology | OF sospirer, (chiefly) AF suspirer & L suspīrāre. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) To yearn (for sb.); aspire (to sth.); ~ to; (b) with inf.: to strive (to experience sth.).
Associated quotations
a
- a1500 Imit.Chr.(Dub 678)107/23 : Sone þou owist..to be prouoked to hyer þinges &..to suspire [L suspirare] þerto by desire.
- a1500 Rolle Mend.L.(Wor F.172)32 : Now yee penitentis..quenche yee flesshly desires, euermore suspiryng in holy meditacioun to the love of god.
- a1500 Rolle Mend.L.(Wor F.172)49 : Come my welbelovid, the whiche art al the comfort of my soule..to the suspiryng with ful swete brennyng!
b
- a1500 Rolle Mend.L.(Wor F.172)50 : In non hour..he suffrith hym [Christ] to passe out of his mynde, but..euer on hym thynkith; to hym he crieth, and suspirith in his love to be hold still, as a prisoner fetered of dedly synne to bien loosid.
- a1500 Rolle Mend.L.(Wor F.172)54 : Tho that busily praien and suspire to be het with the fuyre of euerlastyng love..with al maner clennes..of body to be made cleene, and with spirituel oynement to bien enoynted, in contemplacioun is exalted.