inspirations

Noun

inspiration (countable and uncountable, plural inspirations)

1. (uncountable) The drawing of air into the lungs, accomplished in mammals by elevation of the chest walls and flattening of the diaphragm, as part of the act of breathing.
   • Holonym: respiration

   Synonyms:

   inhalation

   Antonyms:

   expiration, exhalation

2. (countable) A single inward breath (intake of air).
   • Laughing is produced by an inspiration succeeded by a succession of short imperfect expirations.1826, John Bostock, An Elementary System of Physiology, page 220

   Synonyms:

   inhalation

   Antonyms:

   expiration, exhalation

3. A supernatural divine influence on the prophets, apostles, or sacred writers, by which they were qualified to communicate moral or religious truth with authority; a supernatural influence which qualifies people to receive and communicate divine truth; also, the truth communicated.
   • The question, therefore, at issue is, not whether those external means be sufficient without grace and divine inspiration, for none pretends that": but, in order to hinder men from feigning or imagining an inspiration, whether it has not been God's economy, and his usual conduct to make his...1688, Jacques Bénigne Bossuet, The History of the Variations of the Protestant Churches Vol.2 (1829 translation), p. 355
4. The act or process of an elevating or stimulating influence upon the intellect, emotions or creativity.
   • She was waiting for inspiration to write a book.

   Synonyms:

   afflatus, motivation, spark, flash, eureka

5. A person, object, or situation which quickens or stimulates an influence upon the intellect, emotions or creativity.
   • The trip was an inspiration to her for writing a book.
6. A new idea, especially one which arises suddenly and is clever or creative.
   • After an interval the Psychologist had an inspiration. "It must have gone into the past if it has gone anywhere," he said.1895 May 29, H[erbert] G[eorge] Wells, “The Inventor”, in The Time Machine: An Invention, London: William Heinemann, →OCLC, page 21