instill

instill (someone) with (something)

To cause one to feel a particular emotion or have a certain reaction. Jenna's job performance so far doesn't exactly instill me with confidence. I always listen to upbeat music like this before games—it really instills me with excitement. Come on, fumbling over sales figures won't instill these potential investors with confidence. You need to do better when you're in the room with them.

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instill (something) in(to) (someone or something)

1. To put forth effort so that someone learns or remembers something. She really needs to instill a sense of respect for others into her kids, sheesh. I wish I knew how to cook! I wish school had instilled practical skills like that into us instead of, I don't know, calculus! Our parents instilled a deep and unwavering faith into all of us.

2. By extension, to add or introduce something into a particular situation. You can always count on Leah to instill some humor into a grim conversation. Ugh, I don't understand why this writer always instills so much heartbreak into her novels. How exactly do you expect me to instill levity into a funeral service?

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Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.

instill someone with something

to imbue or impress someone with something. Her story instilled us all with courage. She instilled us with courage.

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instill something in (to) someone

to impress something into someone's mind. You need to remember your manners. I want to instill that into you. Good manners were instilled in me at home.

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instill something in(to) something

to add something to a situation. The presence of the mayor instilled a legitimacy into the proceedings. Sharon sought to instill a little levity in the meeting.

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McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.