Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English - inspire

~ v 1 to encourage someone by making them feel confident and eager to achieve something great  (We need a new captain - someone who can inspire the team. | inspire sb to sth)  (I hope this success will inspire you to greater efforts.) 2 to make someone have a particular feeling or react in a particular way  (Gandhi's quiet dignity inspired respect even among his enemies. | not inspire confidence (=make people feel anxious because they do not trust your ability))  (His driving hardly inspires confidence.) 3 to give someone the idea for a story, painting, poem etc  (The story was inspired by a chance meeting with an old Russian duke.) 4 technical to breathe in