Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary · 1913

Enthusiasm

Enthusiasm , noun

[Greek {not transcribed}, from {not transcribed} to be inspired or possessed by the god, from {not transcribed}, {not transcribed}, inspired: compare 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