in-spīro, āvi, ātum, 1, v. a. and n., to blow into or upon a thing; to breathe into, inspire (poet. and post-Aug.). Lit., to blow into; with the simple acc.: foramen, Plin. 10, 29, 43, § 84.

—To blow upon; with abl.: fistulā sensim graviusculum sonum inspirare, to blow upon the flute, produce by blowing on the flute, Gell. 1, 11, 13: Atticos ιχθύν, ἱρόν inspirantis primae litterae dixisse, to pronounce with a breathing, to aspirate a letter, id. 2, 3, 2.

—With dat.: alicui animam, to breathe into, Vulg. Sap. 15, 11; cf.: in faciem ejus spiraculum vitae, ib. Gen. 2, 7.

—Impers.: si gravitati aurium per fistulas inspiretur, Plin. 34, 12, 32, § 127.

— Trop., to breathe into, inspire, excite, inflame: occultum ignem, Verg. A. 1, 688: magnam mentem animumque, id. ib. 6, 12: amorem, Stat. S. 1, 2, 194: fortitudinem, Curt. 4, 13, 12: iram, misericordiam, Quint. 12, 10, 62: quibus viribus inspiret (orator), animate, inflame, Quint. 2, 5, 8; 5, 14, 32.

— Of religious feeling or influence, to inspire: unde adhuc, qui inspirari solent, fatuari dicuntur, Just. 43, 1, 8: vates, id. 18, 5, 7: Spiritu Sancto, Vulg. 2 Pet. 1, 21 et saep.

—Hence, adv.: inspīrātē, inspiredly, benignantly, abundantly; only comp.: inspiratius, Val. Max. 3, 8, 2 (dub. al. insperatius).