admire
verbUK /ədˈmaɪə/ · US /ədˈmaɪɹ/
Etymology From Middle English admyren, borrowed from Middle French admirer, from Latin admīror, from ad + mīror (“wonder at”).
1
Obsolete To be amazed at; to view with surprise; to marvel at.
- The poor fellow, admiring how he came there, was served in state all day long […].1624, Democritus Junior [pseudonym; Robert Burton], The Anatomy of Melancholy: […], 2nd edition, Oxford, Oxfordshire: […] John Lichfield and James Short, for Henry Cripps, →OCLC, partition II, section 2, member 4:
- examples rather to be admired than imitated1640, Thomas Fuller, The Holy State:
2
To regard with wonder and delight.
- kings ſhall crouch vnto our conquering ſwords, And hoſtes of Souldiers ſtand amazd at vs, When with their fearfull tongues they ſhall confeſſe Theſe are the men that al the world admires,c. 1587–1588 (date written), [Christopher Marlowe], Tamburlaine the Great. […] The First Part […], 2nd edition, part 1, London: […] [R. Robinson for] Richard Iones, […], published 1592, →OCLC; reprinted as Tamburlaine the Great (A Scolar Press Facsimile), Menston, Yorkshire; London: Scolar Press, 1973, →ISBN, Act I, scene ii:
3
To look upon with an elevated feeling of pleasure, as something which calls out approbation, esteem, love or reverence.
4
To estimate or value highly; to hold in high esteem.
- to admire a person of high moral worth
- to admire a landscape
2 more examples
- He'd always been (very) much admired by his colleagues.
- I'm so sick and tired of bein' admired. That I wish that I would just die or get fired.2000, Marshall Mathers (Eminem), “The Way I Am”, in The Marshall Mathers LP:
5
US, Dialectal, Rare To be enthusiastic about (doing something); to want or like (to do something). (Sometimes followed by to.)
- I'm not sayin' she's touched the Devil, now, but I'd admire to know what books she reads and why she hides them — she'll not answer me, y' see.1953, Arthur Miller, The Crucible:
- And I'd admire seeing this creek become a sort of stopping place for geese of one sort and another.1976, Field & Stream, page 10:
1 more example
- “I hope you do. I'd admire seeing a lot of you.” They made camp down at the creek. Will spread her blanket not too far from his. “Well, aren't you a lady's man.” “Why do you say that?”2002, Jack Jones, Iron Spur, →ISBN, page 37:
- Derived terms
- admirable, admirate, admiration, admirative, admiredly, admiree, admirer, readmire, unadmired
- Related terms
- admirably, admiratively, mirate, miration, mirative, mirativity