zest spirit 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 Lively manifestation of joy or zeal a lively interest; "enthusiasm for his program is growing" A state of impassioned emotion; transport; elevation of fancy; exaltation of soul; as, the poetry of enthusiasm píti (q v ) Possession by a god; divine inspiration or frenzy Intensity of feeling; excited interest or eagerness excitement, great interest 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 a lively interest; "enthusiasm for his program is growing" a feeling of excitement A state of mind wherein a person is filled with excitement toward something overflowing with enthusiasm An enthusiasm is an activity or subject that interests you very much and that you spend a lot of time on. Draw him out about his current enthusiasms and future plans. = interest Enthusiasm is great eagerness to be involved in a particular activity which you like and enjoy or which you think is important. Their skill, enthusiasm and running has got them in the team a feeling of excitement An exaggerated state of religious fervor or reliance on divine inspiration Enlightenment philosophers such as Locke and Leibniz decried manifestations of enthusiasm as incompatible with the proper employment of rational faculties Recommended Reading: Michael Heyd, ‘Be Sober and Reasonable’: The Critique of Enthusiasm in the Seventeenth and Early Eighteenth Centuries (Brill, 1995) {at Amazon com} and Josef Pieper, Enthusiasm and Divine Madness: On the Platonic Dialogue Phaedrus, tr by Richard and Clara Winston (St Augustine, 2000) {at Amazon com} Also see OCP and noesis One of the categories for judg- ing Refers to a hound's overall interest in coursing the lure excitement; strong interest n Great or intense feeling for a subject or cause; ardent eagerness or zeal (Gk en + theos = god, spirit; enthusiasm = to be inspired by a god) intensity of interest; the passion one has for a purpose or task; a leadership quality that ignites the interest and energy of others See commitment plural of enthusiasm