† admiren.
Obsolete.
Admiration.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > attention and judgement > esteem > admiration > [noun]
marvelc1330
admiration1481
wondera1586
admire1591
admiring1594
admirance1596
1591 G. Markham Trag. Sir R. Grinuile clxvii But with all kindnes, honor, and admire To bring him thence.
1596 W. Warner Albions Eng. (rev. ed.) x. lix. 263 Natures Mynion, Eyes Admier.
1612 S. Rowlands Censure of Gun-shot in Knaue of Harts 10 He thus concludes his censure with admire.
1630 B. Goodall Tryall Trauell i. sig. C So the sonnes of men in admiration Might passe to view from nation to nation Varieties still added to desire Filling the greedy stranger with admire.
1849 T. Lewin Minotaur! iii. 77 Are not these statements worthy of admire, In Anglo-Saxon province, or empire?
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, December 2011; most recently modified version published online December 2020).
admirev.
/ədˈmʌɪə/, U.S. /ədˈmaɪ(ə)r/ 1. † c. transitive. To cause (a person) to feel wonder, astonishment, or surprise. Obsolete. rare.
a. To feel or express wonder, astonishment, or surprise; to marvel.† (a) intransitive. Without construction. Obsolete.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > mental capacity > expectation > feeling of wonder, astonishment > feel wonder, be amazed [verb (intransitive)]
wonderc888
awondera1250
amarvelc1330
muse1340
marvela1382
astone1393
ferlya1400
admirec1429
stun1533
marl1601
wonder-maze1603
strange1639
admirize1702
astony1850
mirate1893
the mind > mental capacity > expectation > surprise, unexpectedness > happen or move unexpectedly [verb (intransitive)] > feel surprised
to think wonder (also ferly)lOE
to have wondera1400
admirec1429
startle1562
to think (it) strange of (or concerning)1585
to come short?1611
strange1639
to think (it) much1669
admirize1702
to go (all) hot and cold1845
to take to1862
surprise1943
not to know (or to wonder) what hit one1961
c1429 Mirour Mans Saluacioune (1986) l. 2219 Some straunge thing hoped he and hoege for til admyre.
1572 J. Bossewell Wks. Armorie sig. C.iijv And as he reades, they all admire, but moste admireth he.
a1592 R. Greene Frier Bacon (1594) sig. F2v Lordings admire not if your cheere be this, For we must keepe our Accademicke fare.
1626 T. Hawkins tr. N. Caussin Holy Court I. i. 7 This would make you admire, your haire stand an end, and bloud congeale in your ueynes.
1697 W. Molyneux in J. Locke Lett. (1708) 238 I should have much more admired had they been otherwise.
1713 Ld. Shaftesbury Notion Hist. Draught Judgm. Hercules i. 7 He admires, he contemplates; but is not yet ingag'd or interested.
1726 J. Swift Gulliver II. iv. xi. 171 They admired to hear me answer them in their own Tongue, and saw by my Complexion I must be an European.
1847 W. M. Thackeray Vanity Fair (1848) xi. 85 I..can't but admire, as I think what a fine and durable thing Love is among worldly people.
(b) intransitive. With at. Now rare.
ΚΠ
1600 S. Rowlands Letting of Humors Blood i. 48 Vttring rare lyes to be admired at.
1650 T. Fuller Pisgah-sight of Palestine ii. vi. 150 King Ahab stood admiring at the miracle.
1656 R. Baxter Reformed Pastor 348 It maketh me admire at the fearful deceitfulness of the heart of man.
1709 J. Swift Baucis & Philemon 8 And she admir'd as much at him.
1726 J. Swift Cadenus & Vanessa 30 Why she loves him, admire not at her, She loves herself, and that's the Matter.
1759 B. Martin Nat. Hist. Eng. I. 271 Posterity may justly admire at their being demolished.
1858 T. Carlyle Hist. Friedrich II of Prussia II. viii. iv. 318 A result, which Friedrich Wilhelm not a little admires at.
1921 K. N. Burt Hidden Creek iv. 35 I saw her admiring at the stars.
1972 St. Pauls Mag. Mar. 279 We admired at his thunderin' cheek.
b.
(a) transitive. To regard with wonder, astonishment, or surprise; to marvel at. Now rare (in later use sometimes passing into an ironic use of sense 2a(a)).
ΘΚΠ
the mind > mental capacity > expectation > feeling of wonder, astonishment > feel wonder or astonishment at [verb (transitive)]
amarvelc1330
marvela1382
marvela1393
admirea1500
esmarvel1502
muse1530
wonder1535
muse1567
bewonder1610
strange1641
the mind > mental capacity > expectation > surprise, unexpectedness > surprise, astonish [verb (transitive)] > view with surprise
admirea1500
a1500 in F. J. Furnivall Polit., Relig., & Love Poems (1903) 77 Here face well coulord and not pale..schee was well emyred, And stode in euery mannes grace.
1572 N. Roscarrock in J. Bossewell Wks. Armorie sig. C.iij Unto this place assembled was, eche wight within this hall, and did admire a golden booke, whiche fell amongst them all.
1584 J. Udall Amendment of Life i. sig. A.j The Iewes and straungers of diuers countreyes gathered togither to see that straunge wonder, and some admired it as the wonderfull worke of God.
1642 T. Fuller Holy State ii. ix. 83 He accounts their examples rather to be admired then imitated.
1682 London Gaz. mdccxxvii/3 We cannot but admire and dread those restless Men.
1714 J. Addison Spectator No. 575. ¶6 How can we sufficiently admire the Stupidity or Madness of those Persons?
1738 W. Warburton Divine Legation Moses I. 68 That Disorder in the Life of Man, which Moralists so much admire.
1767 J. Bartram Let. 5 Dec. in Corr. (1992) 691 I have often admired ye explosive force of many Capsulas in dischargeing thair contents to A proper distance.
1814 Antijacobin Rev. & True Churchman's Mag. Feb. 186 It is impossible sufficiently to admire the madness which has seized the people of the United States, in thus early embarking in schemes of conquest.
1876 F. W. Farrar In Days of Youth iv. 36 One hardly knows whether most to admire the stupidity of such a degradation or to detest its guilt.
1908 Comte de Lesdain From Pekin to Sikkim ii. 45 We had occasion once again to admire the splendid stupidity of the Mongols.
(b) transitive. With subordinate clause as object. Now rare (archaic and English regional in later use).
ΚΠ
1582 A. Munday Breefe Aunswer sig. C.ij The Iudges dyd admire, that a man as he was, professing learning and looue in outwarde appearaunce, shoulde be so ouercome by the Deuil.
1600 P. Holland tr. Livy Rom. Hist. i. xli. 24 A great concourse of the People, admiring what the matter was.
1642 T. Fuller Holy State ii. iii. 59 We may more admire that so beastly a drunkard lived so long.
1681 J. Crowne Henry VI i. iv. 38 I admire my Lord of Glocester is not come.
1694 Provid. of God 147 I admired why I should be suspected.
1701 W. Penn in Mem. Hist. Soc. Pennsylvania (1870) IX. 45 I admire how thou couldst stay so long.
1794 W. Godwin Caleb Williams II. x. 201 I admire that the earth does not open and swallow you alive.
1847 C. Dickens Dombey & Son (1848) 316 Mrs. Chick admires that Edith should be, by nature, such a perfect Dombey.
1934 W. W. Gill Manx Dial. ii. 15 You'd raelly [sic] admire how the rain can keep on the way it does.
(c) transitive. With infinitive as object. Now rare.
ΚΠ
1594 True Trag. Richard III sig. I.2 The Turke admires to heare her [sc. Elizabeth's] gouernment.
1645 J. Howell Δενδρολογια (ed. 3) 173 The Italian admires to see a people argue themselves thus into arms.
1676 T. Hobbes tr. Homer Iliads xxiv. 386 You would admire to see him look so fresh.
1735 J. Swift Panegyrick on D— in Wks. II. 287 The Neighbours who come here to dine, Admire to hear me speak so fine.
1817 Mrs. Taylor & J. Taylor Corr. Mother & Daughter vii. 34 I do admire to hear you ask that question so coolly!
1872 ‘Agrikler’ Rhymes 31 This..contented chap had had a longish nap, Ta zlape away tha winter, I shoodent much admire.
1913 W. O. Bates Jacob Leisler iv. 169 I do admire to hear one commissionate by the Prince of Orange prate of upstarts.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > mental capacity > expectation > surprise, unexpectedness > surprise, astonish [verb (transitive)]
gloppena1250
abavea1400
ferlya1400
forferlya1400
supprisec1405
stonish1488
surprend1549
stagger1556
thunderbolta1586
admire1598
startle1598
thunderstrike1613
siderate1623
dumbfound1653
surprise1655
stammer1656
strange1657
astartlea1680
dumbfounder1710
knock1715
to take aback1751
flabbergast1773
to take back1796
stagnate1829
to put aback1833
to make (a person) sit up1878
to knock, lay (out), etc., cold1884
transmogrify1887
rock1947
to flip out1964
the mind > mental capacity > expectation > feeling of wonder, astonishment > quality of inspiring wonder > cause wonder, astonish [verb (transitive)]
marvela1425
esmarvel1477
amaze?1533
wondera1561
bewondera1586
to hold at gaze1594
admire1598
wonder-maze1603
astonish1611
thunderstrike1613
surprise1655
to astonish the natives1801
emmarvel1834
zap1967
mind-blow1970
gobsmack1987
1598 L. A. tr. G. Fernandez Honour of Chiualrie xlii. 241 He raysed a Tent, the richest and most stateliest that euer was seene: with so many gallant deuises, that it admyred [L. porgeua ammiratione] euery beholder.
2.
a.
(a) transitive. To consider praiseworthy or excellent; to regard with esteem or approbation. Also more generally: to appreciate; to look at with pleasure or enjoyment.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > attention and judgement > esteem > admiration > admire [verb (transitive)]
wonder1535
admire1536
to be shook on1888
1536 R. Morison Remedy for Sedition sig. F. v Diuines, ye and those that are amonges them beste lerned, do admire, and hyghely commende the ryght iudgement, that his grace hath in soo many thynges.
1566 T. Drant tr. Horace Medicinable Morall sig. Diijv Neglected of the commoners, who onely doo admyre, Nobilitie.
a1616 W. Shakespeare Taming of Shrew (1623) i. i. 29 We do admire This vertue, and this morall discipline. View more context for this quotation
1655 T. Stanley Hist. Philos. I. i. 66 Some Vulcan's and Minerva's arts admire.
1712 R. Steele Spectator No. 504. ⁋4 Shallow fops, who are governed by the eye, and admire every thing that struts in vogue.
1751 J. Harris Hermes Pref. p. xiii Admiring only the authors of our own age.
1860 J. Tyndall Glaciers of Alps i. §16. 118 I had occasion to admire the knowledge and promptness of my guide.
1878 G. MacDonald Ann. Quiet Neighb. xxx. 526 She could admire good people.
1906 W. E. Scaritt Three Men in Motor Car ii. 18 He wrote back a politely sarcastic letter (How I did admire that man's nerve!).
a1933 J. A. Thomson Biol. for Everyman (1934) I. xx. 551 Every one has admired the very beautiful flight of the terns or sea-swallows.
1974 G. Gould Let. 28 June (1992) 28 I've long admired your very incisive and particularized interviews with other conductors.
2003 V. O. Carter Such Sweet Thunder 217 He beheld his father with pleasure, admiring his handsome blue Sunday suit and tan shoes.
(b) transitive. With subordinate clause as object.
ΚΠ
1846 Hogg's Weekly Instructor 13 June 256/1 Children may admire how it [sc. frost] sparkles in the sun, but men will reflect that it slakes no thirst.
1885 Deb. House of Commons (Canada) 9 June 2418/1 I have admired how he displays that kind feeling, that gentlemanly feeling, for which he is so notorious.
1944 J. Ciardi Diary 22 Dec. in Saipan (1988) 63 He has the perfect ideal: efficiency. With a deep bow I admit and admire that he usually fulfills it himself.
1990 J. Handly et al. Why Women Worry iii. xiv. 207 We have to admire how our friend..accepted and made the most of having had alopecia universalis, a complete, irreversible loss of her hair.
2001 R. Russo Empire Falls 14 He also appreciated that she was a Bowdoin graduate and admired that she appeared to understand that he was snookering her family and didn't necessarily object.
b. transitive. To express one's admiration for (a person or thing); to praise. Also intransitive.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > attention and judgement > esteem > approval or sanction > commendation or praise > commend or praise [verb (transitive)]
heryc735
mickleeOE
loveOE
praise?c1225
upraisea1300
alosec1300
commenda1340
allow1340
laud1377
lose1377
avauntc1380
magnifya1382
enhancea1400
roosea1400
recommendc1400
recommanda1413
to bear up?a1425
exalt1430
to say well (also evil, ill, etc.) of (also by)1445
laudifyc1470
gloryc1475
advance1483
to bear out1485
prizec1485
to be or to have in laudationa1500
joya1500
extol1509
collaud1512
concend?1521
solemnize?1521
celebrate1522
stellify1523
to set up1535
well-word1547
predicate1552
glorify1557
to set forth1565
admire1566
to be up with1592
voice1594
magnificate1598
plaud1598
concelebrate1599
encomionize1599
to con laud1602
applauda1616
panegyrize1617
acclamate1624
to set offa1625
acclaim1626
raise1645
complement1649
encomiate1651
voguec1661
phrase1675
to set out1688
Alexander1700
talk1723
panegyricize1777
bemouth1799
eulogizea1810
rhapsodize1819
crack up1829
rhapsody1847
1566 T. Drant in tr. Horace Medicinable Morall To Rdr. sig. a.iii For shewes and pratling of pietie, she proclaimeth fooles holy, admireth fooles, magnifieth fooles.
1594 H. Dorrell Willobie his Auisa xlvii. f. 43v You must commend her louing face, For women joy in beauties praise, You must admire her sober grace, Her wisdome and her vertuous wayes.
1612 I. M. tr. Most Famous Hist. Meruine i. x. 63 First she blusht as afrayd..and then driue away the blusht with a pale mantle of shamefast reioycing, to heare him so admired.
1665 R. Brathwait Comment Two Tales Chaucer 90 Nothing displeaseth me more, than not to hear my Beauty praised, my less than ordinary parts admired.
1758 C. Lennox Henrietta I. ii. iii. 107 Miss Woodby was..uttering as many pretty absurdities, which she had heard admired coming from the mouths of beauties, without reflecting that she herself was no beauty.
1771 R. Henry Hist. Great Brit. I. i. vii. 450 Accustomed, from their infancy, to hear nothing admired or celebrated but valiant deeds in war.
1833 J. Romilly Diary 16 Jan. in Cambridge Diary (1967) i. 26 Harraden admired to me the beauty of his boy (a chorus singer)—as plain as his Father.
1872 ‘G. Eliot’ Middlemarch III. vi. liv. 196 To an aunt who does not recognise her infant nephew as Bouddha, and has nothing to do for him but to admire, his behaviour is apt to appear monotonous.
1916 G. B. Shaw Pygmalion v. 176 You didnt thank her, or pet her, or admire her, or tell her how splendid she'd been.
1940 D. Thomas Portrait of Artist as Young Dog 73 We walked home together. I admired his bloody nose. He said that my eye was like a poached egg, only black.
1956 C. Bush Case of Extra Man ii. vi. 80 All I ever do in the matter of her clothes is dutifully admire.
2008 New Yorker 10 Nov. 71/3 Norman Mailer inverted this notion in ‘The White Negro’, admiring the hipster as a ‘philosophical psychopath’ for having the courage of nonconformity.
c. intransitive. To feel or express a sense of approval, appreciation, or esteem; to look at something or someone with pleasure or enjoyment.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > attention and judgement > esteem > approval or sanction > commendation or praise > commend or praise [verb (intransitive)]
loveOE
praisec1330
admire1662
1662 Duchess of Newcastle Natures Three Daughters ii. i. viii, in Playes Written 514 I would not be otherwise known unto the Masculine Sex, than Angels are to one another; yet I may respect honour, and admire without a doteing fondness, or a surprized affection.
1712 A. Pope Misc. Poems 147 When you, like Orpheus, strike the warbling Lyre, Attentive Blocks stand round you, and admire.
1832 Penny Mag. 22 Sept. 242/1 Dancing youths were moving quick, and pipes and lutes kept up music for them: and the women stood and admired, each at her house door.
1898 Nation 30 June 496/3 I give my impressions honestly, for certainly they are genuine; I had come prepared to admire.
1921 J. B. Cabell Figures of Earth iii. xvi. 147 Ladies who are used to hourly admiration cannot endure the passing of a man who seems to admire not quite wholeheartedly. He who does not admire at all is obviously a fool.
2003 J. Burdett Bangkok 8 (2004) 217 I watch and admire while that efficient professional side of her comes to dominate.
3. transitive. Chiefly U.S. colloquial. With infinitive as object. To like; to be pleased to do something.
ΚΠ
a1770 J. Mecom Lett. to B. Franklin (1859) 194 I should admire to come and see and hear all about every thing.
1816 J. Pickering Vocab. U.S. (at cited word) To admire, to like very much, to be very fond of. This verb is much used in New England in expressions like the following: I should admire to go to such a place; I should admire to have such a thing, &c.
1854 A. E. Baker Gloss. Northants. Words I. 5 The child admires to go a-walking.
1868 L. M. Alcott Little Women I. ix. 134 I admire to do it.
1911 D. Belasco Girl of Golden West vii. 123 I admire to know you, Mr. Johnson o' Sacremento.
1939 J. Steinbeck Grapes of Wrath xx. 348 ‘Well, I'd admire to git a hand,’ said the young man.
2001 B. Miller Guardian xxiv. 291 Is it likely I would malign a woman I would admire to make my wife?
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, December 2011; most recently modified version published online June 2022).
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n.1591
v.c1429