Aspire

• POS: Verb (intransitive)
• HYPHEN: as=pire

CIDE DICTIONARY

Aspire, v. i. [F. aspirer, L. aspirare. See Aspirate, v. t.].

•  To desire with eagerness; to seek to attain something high or great; to pant; to long; -- followed by to or after, and rarely by at; as, to aspire to a crown; to aspire after immorality.  [1913 Webster]

  "Aspiring to be gods, if angels fell;
  Aspiring to be angels, men rebel."  [1913 Webster]
•  To rise; to ascend; to tower; to soar.  [1913 Webster]

  "My own breath still foments the fire,
  Which flames as high as fancy can aspire."  [1913 Webster]

Aspire, v. t. 

 To aspire to; to long for; to try to reach; to mount to.  [1913 Webster]
"That gallant spirit hath aspired the clouds."  [1913 Webster]

Aspire, n. 

 Aspiration.  Chapman.  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

Aspire, v.intr. (usu. foll. by to or after, or to + infin.) 1 have ambition or strong desire.
2 poet. rise high.

Etymology

ME f. F aspirer or L aspirare f. ad to + spirare breathe

THESAURUS

Aspire

aim, aim at, aim high, aspire after, aspire to, bank on, be after, be ambitious, become airborne, claw skyward, confide, count on, covet, crave, crave after, crawl after, design, desire, destine, determine, dream of, drive at, expect, feel confident, float, fly, fly aloft, gain altitude, go for, hang, hanker after, harbor a design, harbor the hope, have every intention, hope, hope against hope, hope and pray, hope for, hope in, hope to God, hover, hunger after, intend, kite, lean upon, leave the ground, live in hopes, long, lust after, mean, nurture the hope, pant, pant after, plan, plane, poise, presume, project, propose, purport, purpose, rely on, resolve, rest assured, run mad after, seek, soar, spire, take off, think, thirst after, trust, try to reach, wish, yearn, zoom

ROGET THESAURUS

Aspire

Worship

VB worship, lift up the heart, aspire, revere, adore, do service, pay homage, humble oneself, kneel, bow the knee, bend the knee, fall down, fall on one's knees, prostrate oneself, bow down and worship, pray, invoke, supplicate, put up, offer up prayers, offer petitions, beseech, say one's prayers, tell one's beads, return thanks, give thanks, say grace, bless, praise, laud, glorify, magnify, sing praises, give benediction, lead the choir, intone, deacon, deacon off propitiate, offer sacrifice, fast, deny oneself, vow, offer vows, give alms, work out one's salvation, go to church, attend service, attend mass, communicate.

Ascent

VB ascend, rise, mount, arise, uprise, go up, get up, work one's way up, start up, shoot up, go into orbit, float up, bubble up, aspire, climb, clamber, ramp, scramble, escalade, surmount, shin, shinny, shinney, scale, scale the heights, raise, elevate, go aloft, fly aloft, tower, soar, take off, spring up, pop up, jump up, catapult upwards, explode upwards, hover, spire, plane, swim, float, surge, leap.