Aspire v.

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- pref. 10.]

  1.  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. Ibid. (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.), 26. 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.  Shaks., 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 sb. 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.  Shaks., Merry Wives, 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. Constantinople, 7, in Select. fr. Wks., 143.

  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. Andreson, 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.  Shaks., 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- pref. 9.)

1574.  Hellowes, Gueuara’s Epist. (1577), 60. Christe aspiring uppon the Crosse.