From WordNet (r) 2.0 (August 2003) [wn]:
inspiration
n 1: arousal of the mind to special unusual activity or
creativity
2: a product of your creative thinking and work; "he had little
respect for the inspirations of other artists"; "after
years of work his brainchild was a tangible reality" [syn:
brainchild]
3: a sudden intuition as part of solving a problem
4: (theology) a special influence of a divinity on the minds of
human beings; "they believe that the books of Scripture
were written under divine guidance" [syn: {divine
guidance}]
5: arousing to a particular emotion or action [syn: stirring]
6: the act of inhaling; the drawing in of air (or other gases)
as in breathing [syn: inhalation, aspiration,
breathing in]
From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
Inspiration \In`spi*ra"tion\, n. [F. inspiration, L. inspiratio.
See Inspire.]
[1913 Webster]
1. The act of inspiring or breathing in; breath; specif.
(Physiol.), the drawing of air into the lungs,
accomplished in mammals by elevation of the chest walls
and flattening of the diaphragm; -- the opposite of
expiration.
[1913 Webster]
2. The act or power of exercising an elevating or stimulating
influence upon the intellect or emotions; the result of
such influence which quickens or stimulates; as, the
inspiration of occasion, of art, etc.
[1913 Webster]
Your father was ever virtuous, and holy men at their
death have good inspirations. --Shak.
[1913 Webster]
3. (Theol.) 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 men to receive and
communicate divine truth; also, the truth communicated.
[1913 Webster]
All Scripture is given by inspiration of God. --2
Tim. iii. 16.
[1913 Webster]
The age which we now live in is not an age of
inspiration and impulses. --Sharp.
[1913 Webster]
Plenary inspiration (Theol.), that kind of inspiration
which excludes all defect in the utterance of the inspired
message.
Verbal inspiration (Theol.), that kind of inspiration which
extends to the very words and forms of expression of the
divine message.
[1913 Webster]