aspire, aspyre (yr as ir)

i. & t. [In Fr. aspirer; Prov., Sp., & Port. aspirar; Ital. aspirare; from Lat. aspiro = (1) to breathe or blow upon; (2) to be favourable to; (3) to endeavour to reach: ad = to, and spiro = to breathe, to blow.] A. Intransitive : *I. ( Of the form aspyre): To inspire. "God allowed, a ysted, and aspyred them by his grace therein."-Sir T. More. II. To aim at rising high. 1. Lit. Of persons: To pant after some high object of attainment; to aim at something great socially, politically, intellectually, morally, or spiritually. (It is followed by to , after , or an infinitive.) "By whose aid, aspiring To set himself in glory." Milton: P. L., 1. 38. 2. Fig .: Of things : To rise higher, to tower, to reach a considerable elevation. "'Cro the calm lake's blue shades the cliffs aspire ." Words worth: Evening Walk. B. Transitive : To aim at. There is properly an ellipsis of to or after , which being supplied, the verb becomes the ordinary intransitive one. "That gallant spirit hath aspired the clouds." Shakesp.: Romeo & Juliet, iii. 1.