aspire

/əˈspaɪə/

verb

  1. to long, aim or seek ambitiously; be eagerly desirous to attain or achieve something of great value, to dare to dream
  2. Archaic. to rise up; soar; mount; tower.

origin

late Middle English: “to strive for,” c.1400, from Old French aspirer “aspire to, inspire, breath, breathe on,” from Latin aspirare “to breathe upon, from ad- “to” + spirare “breathe.”