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Webster 1913 Edition

Enthusiasm

En-thu′si-asm

,
Noun.
[Gr. [GREEK] , fr. [GREEK] to be inspired or possessed by the god, fr. [GREEK], [GREEK], inspired: cf.
enthousiasme
. See
Entheal
,
Theism
.]
1.
Inspiration as if by a divine or superhuman power; ecstasy; hence, a conceit of divine possession and revelation, or of being directly subject to some divine impulse.
Enthusiasm
is founded neither on reason nor divine revelation, but rises from the conceits of a warmed or overweening imagination.
Locke.
2.
A state of impassioned emotion; transport; elevation of fancy; exaltation of soul;
as, the poetry of
enthusiasm
.
Resolutions adopted in
enthusiasm
are often repented of when excitement has been succeeded by the wearing duties of hard everyday routine.
Froude.
Exhibiting the seeming contradiction of susceptibility to
enthusiasm
and calculating shrewdness.
Bancroft.
3.
Enkindled and kindling fervor of soul; strong excitement of feeling on behalf of a cause or a subject; ardent and imaginative zeal or interest;
as, he engaged in his profession with
enthusiasm
.
Nothing great was ever achieved without
enthusiasm
.
Emerson.
4.
Lively manifestation of joy or zeal.
Philip was greeted with a tumultuous
enthusiasm
.
Prescott.

Webster 1828 Edition

Enthusiasm

ENTHU'SIASM

,
Noun.
enthuziazm. [Gr. to infuse a divine spirit, inspired, divine; God.]
1.
A belief or conceit of private revelation; the vain confidence or opinion of a person, that he has special divine communications from the Supreme Being, or familiar intercourse with him.
Enthusiasm is founded neither on reason nor divine revelation, but rises from the conceits of a warmed or overweening imagination.
2.
Heat of imagination; violent passion or excitement of the mind, in pursuit of some object, inspiring extravagant hope and confidence of success. Hence the same heat of imagination, chastised by reason or experience, becomes a noble passion, an elevated fancy, a warm imagination, an ardent zeal, that forms sublime ideas, and prompts to the ardent pursuit of laudable objects. Such is the enthusiasm of the poet, the orator, the painter and the sculptor. Such is the enthusiasm of the patriot, the hero and the christian.
Faction and enthusiasm are the instruments by which popular government are destroyed.

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