▪ I. † suˈspire, n. Obs.
[a. OF. s(o)uspir (mod.F. soupir) = Pr. sospir, It. sospiro, Sp., Pg. suspiro, or ad. L. suspīrium, f. suspīrāre: see next.]
A sigh.
| c 1450 Envoy to Alison 25 Suspiris which I effunde in silence! 1549 Compl. Scot. vii. 70 The quhilk reproche sche pronuncit vitht mony dolorus suspiris. 1595 Locrine v. iv. 2 The circuit of the azure sky Throwes forth sad throbs and grieuous suspirs. 1610 Heywood Gold. Age i. i. Wks. 1874 III. 12 Gods are neuer touch't with my suspires, Passions and throbs. 1637 ― Pleas. Dial. ii. Wks. 1874 VI. 130 Whence came that deep suspire? |
▪ II. suspire, v. Now chiefly poet.
(səˈspaɪə(r))
[ad. L. suspīrāre (whence OF. sospirer, mod.F. soupirer, Pr. sospirar, It. -are, Sp., Pg. suspirar), f. su- sub- 26 + spīrāre to breathe.]
1. intr. To sigh; rare in lit. sense; chiefly fig. to sigh or long for, yearn after.
| c 1450 tr. De Imitatione iii. xxxvii. 107 To be prouoked to hyer þinges, &..to suspire þerto by desire. 1532 More Confut. Tindale Wks. 532/2 Suspyring and sighing after the sight of god. a 1542 Wyatt Poet. Wks., ‘Absens absenting’ vi, To rejoise my wofull herte With sighis suspiring most rufullie. 1610 Hellish Councell practised by Jesuites 18 Thy happinesse giues vs leaue to respire, thy absence iustly compels vs to suspire, and the place where we make no doubt thou art, makes vs thither to aspire. 1671 Woodhead St. Teresa i. Pref. 12 Prayer..consists more in sighing and suspiring after that object, that it is already convinced most to deserve its love. 1855 Browning Serenade at Villa 12 Earth turned in her sleep with pain, Sultrily suspired for proof. 1887 ‘Q’ Dead Man's Rock 294 Every note breathing pathos or suspiring in tremulous anguish. |
2. trans. To utter with a sigh, to sigh forth. Also, to breathe out.
| 1549 Compl. Scot. vii. 70 Sche began to suspire lamentabil regrettis. 1865 J. Thomson Art iii. ii, Did he ever suspire a tender lay. 1868 Browning Ring & Bk. x. 997 A bolt from heaven..suspiring flame. 1904 Blackw. Mag. Nov. 677 How lustily the bellows did suspire Breath for the flames! |
3. intr. To breathe.
| 1595 Shakes. John iii. iv. 80 Since the birth of Caine, the first male-childe To him that did but yesterday suspire. 1597 ― 2 Hen. IV, iv. v. 33 Did hee suspire, that light and weightlesse dowlne Perforce must moue. 1856 Mrs. Browning Aur. Leigh vii. 1061 Fire-flies, that suspire In short soft lapses of transported flame. 1866 Swinburne Poems & Ball., Hermaphroditus 10 Their breath is fire upon the amorous air, Fire in thine eyes and where thy lips suspire. |
Hence † suˈspired ppl. a., longed for; † suˈspiring vbl. n., sighing, a sigh.
| 1549 Compl. Scot. i. 23 The lamentabil suspiring that procedit fra my dolorus hart. a 1639 Wotton Medit. Christmas Day in Reliq. (1651) 351 The long Suspired Redeemer of the World. 1671 Woodhead St. Teresa i. Pref. 9 Prayer..by interior frequent suspirings and ejaculations interposed. |