Inspire vs Compel - What's the difference?
inspire | compel | Related terms |
To infuse into the mind; to communicate to the spirit; to convey, as by a divine or supernatural influence; to disclose preternaturally; to produce in, as by inspiration.
* Bible, Wisdom xv. 11
* Shakespeare
* {{quote-magazine, year=2012, month=March-April
, author=Anna Lena Phillips
, title=Sneaky Silk Moths
, volume=100, issue=2, page=172
, magazine=(American Scientist)
To infuse into; to affect, as with a superior or supernatural influence; to fill with what animates, enlivens or exalts; to communicate inspiration to.
* Dryden
To draw in by the operation of breathing; to inhale.
* Harvey
To infuse by breathing, or as if by breathing.
(archaic) To breathe into; to fill with the breath; to animate.
* Alexander Pope
To spread rumour indirectly.
(transitive, archaic, literally) To drive together, round up (rfex)
To overpower; to subdue.
* 1917 , , King Coal , ch. 16,
To force, constrain or coerce.
* 1600 , , Julius Caesar , act 5, sc. 1,
* Hallam
To exact, extort, (make) produce by force.
* Shakespeare
* 1912 , , Sky Island , ch. 14,
(obsolete) To force to yield; to overpower; to subjugate.
* Dryden
* Tennyson
(obsolete) To gather or unite in a crowd or company.
* Dryden
(obsolete) To call forth; to summon.
* Spenser
In transitive terms the difference between inspire and compel
is that inspire is to spread rumour indirectly while compel is to exact, extort, (make) produce by force.inspire
English
Verb
(inspir)- He knew not his Maker, and him that inspired into him an active soul.
- Dawning day new comfort hath inspired .
citation, passage=Last spring, the periodical cicadas emerged across eastern North America. Their vast numbers and short above-ground life spans inspired awe and irritation in humans—and made for good meals for birds and small mammals.}}
- Elders should inspire children with sentiments of virtue.
- Erato, thy poet's mind inspire , / And fill his soul with thy celestial fire.
- forced to inspire and expire the air with difficulty
- Descend, ye Nine, descend and sing, / The breathing instruments inspire .
Synonyms
* (l)Antonyms
* (inhale) expireDerived terms
* inspirerAnagrams
* ----compel
English
Verb
- She had one of those perfect faces, which irresistibly compel the soul of a man.
- Logic compels''' the wise, while fools feel '''compelled by emotions.
- Against my will, / As Pompey was, am I compell’d to set / Upon one battle all our liberties.
- Wolsey compelled the people to pay up the whole subsidy at once.
- Commissions, which compel from each / The sixth part of his substance.
- The Queen has nothing but the power to execute the laws, to adjust grievances and to compel order.
- Easy sleep their weary limbs compelled .
- I compel all creatures to my will.
- in one troop compelled
- She had this knight from far compelled .
- (Chapman)