▪ I. aspire, v.
(əˈspaɪə(r))
Forms: 5–6 aspyre, 6–7 aspier, 6– aspire.
[(? a. F. aspire-r), ad. L. asp-, adspīrā-re to breathe upon, seek to reach, f. ad to, at + spīrā-re to breathe. The OF. aspirer is prob. partly for enspirer, ad. L. inspīrāre: see a- prefix 10.]
I. To breathe into or forth.
† 1. trans. To breathe (breath or spiritual influence) to or into; to inspire. Obs.
| 1532 More Confut. Tindale Wks. 507/1 Though god..aspired them his grace therein. 1533 ― Apol. xlix. Wks. 927/2 To spreade his beames vpon vs, and aspire hys breth into vs. 1633 P. Fletcher Purple Isl. i. lix, Thereto may he his grace and gentle heat aspire. |
† 2. intr. To breathe forth, exhale. Obs. rare.
| c 1750 Shenstone Wks. (1764) I. 290 In what lonely vale Of balmy med'cine's various field, aspires The blest refrigerent? |
II. To breathe desire towards. (Cf. anhele.)
3. intr. To have a fixed desire, longing, or ambition for something at present above one; to seek to attain, to pant, long. a. with to.
| c 1460 Fortescue Abs. & Lim. Mon. (1714) 59 Mannys Corage is so noble that naturally he aspyreth to hye thyngs and to be exaltyd. 1558 Knox First Blast (Arb.) 20 Woman oght to be repressed..if she aspire to any dominion. 1651 Hobbes Leviath. i. iv. 15 Any man that aspires to true knowledge. 1781 Gibbon Decl. & F. III. 225 The Barbarian still aspired to the rank of master-general of the armies of the West. 1839 Keightley Hist. Eng. II. 52 Is it not possible that Pole secretly aspired to the hand of the princess Mary? |
b. with after, at; for, obs.
| 1606 G. W[oodcocke] Hist. Justine 31 b, Which citty..began to aspire at the whole Empire of Greece. 1649 Lovelace Poems (1659) 22 [Thou] Aspiredst for the everlasting Crowne. 1675 Traherne Chr. Ethics xvi. 246 We are able to desire, and aspire after..the very throne of God. 1788 V. Knox Winter Even. I. ii. viii. 165 He who aspires at the character of a good man. 1794 Sullivan View Nat. II. 399 To aspire after a more perfect knowledge of his nature. 1869 F. Newman Misc. 310 He does not lead the learner to aspire at any thing higher. |
c. with inf.
| c 1460 [See 3 a.] 1591 Shakes. Two Gent. iii. i. 153 Wilt thou aspire to guide the heauenly Car? 1605 Bacon Adv. Learn. ii. xxii. §15 Aspiring to be like God in power. 1879 Froude Cæsar xviii, Milo was aspiring to be made consul. |
d. absol.
| 1592 Warner Alb. Eng. vii. xxxvii. (1612) 185 To aspire is lawfull, if betwixt a Meane it stand. 1764 Goldsm. Trav. 363 Ye powers of truth, that bid my soul aspire. 1877 E. Conder Bas. Faith ix. 383 Man aspires. An immense instinct in his nature points upward, like a spire of flame. |
† 4. trans. To have an ardent desire for, to pant or long for, to be ambitious of, aim at. Obs.
| 1596 Spenser F.Q. v. ix. 41 How for to depryve Mercilla of her crowne, by her aspyred. 1623 Cockeram Dict. iii. s.v. Cleopatra, He aspired the Empire. 1652 Brome Jov. Crew i. 362 But I aspire no merits, nor popular thanks. 1816 Southey Lay of Laureate Proem. 20 And Love aspired with Faith a heavenward flight. |
III. To rise, mount up. (Influenced in use by various meanings of spire n. and v.)
5. intr. To rise up, as an exhalation, or as smoke or fire; hence gen. to mount up, taper up, tower, ascend, rise high, become tall.
| 1591 Spenser Ruins of Time 408 Pyramides, to heauen aspired. 1598 Shakes. Merry W. v. v. 101 Whose flames aspire, As thoughts do blow them higher and higher. 1676 Worlidge Cider (1691) 44 The Tree is more apt to aspire than any other Apple-tree. 1697 Dryden Virg. Georg. iii. 824 Tisiphone..every Moment rises to the Sight: Aspiring to the Skies. 1738 Johnson London 208 Orgilio sees the golden pile aspire. c 1855 Ld. Houghton Burial Gr. Scutari, Above the domes of loftiest mosques, These pinnacles of death aspire. |
6. fig. (with some sense of 3 combined.)
| 1585 Abp. Sandys Serm. (1841) 146 To whose works man's thoughts aspire not. 1610 Holland Camden's Brit. i. 301 It aspireth to the very top of ostentation. 1768 Beattie Minstr. i. vii, Let thy heaven-taught soul to heaven aspire. 1832 Wordsw. Poems of Imag. xli, Mount from the earth; aspire! aspire! |
† 7. To grow up to (the age of). Obs. rare.
| 1576 Lambarde Peramb. Kent (1826) 508 The Gardein..shall keepe his [lands], untill the warde aspire to foureteene. 1596 Spenser F.Q. i. vi. 23 To ryper yeares he gan aspire. |
† 8. trans. To mount up to, soar to, reach, attain. Also fig. Obs.
| 1581 A. Anderson Serm. Paules Crosse 89 The vigor..should valiantly aspyre the top of smallest twigges. c 1585 Faire Em i. 68 And to aspire the bliss That hangs on quick achievement of my love, Thyself and I will travel in disguise. 1592 Shakes. Rom. & Jul. iii. i. 122 That gallant spirit hath aspir'd the clouds. 1596 Chapman Iliad x. 309 Forth went they..and presently aspir'd The guardless Thracian regiment fast bound with sleep, and tir'd. |
¶ = expire. (Cf. OF. espirer, and see a- prefix 9.)
| 1574 Hellowes Gueuara's Epist. (1577) 60 Christe aspiring uppon the Crosse. |
▪ II. † aˈspire Obs.
[f. prec. vb.]
Aspiration.
| 1562 J. Norton in Farr S.P. (1845) II. 459 Heau'd vp, hurl'd downe, dismay'd, or in aspire. 1643 Sir T. Browne Relig. Med. 76 Whose earthly fumes choak my devout aspires. 1667 H. More Div. Dial. iii. §28 (1713) 249 Thy serious Aspires..after the true Knowledge of thy Maker. |