Common Errors in English - Admire

admire
verb
1
BAD: One hour is not long enough to admire all the exhibits.
GOOD: One hour is not long enough to see all the exhibits.
BAD: I enjoyed admiring all the old buildings.
GOOD: I enjoyed looking at all the old buildings.
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Do not use admire when you just mean 'see' or 'look at'. Admire means 'look at someone or something with a strong feeling of pleasure'. This meaning of admire is found mainly in novels and tourist brochures: 'Come and admire the magnificence of the Niagara Falls.' 'Rupert was sitting outside on the verandah, admiring the many jewels in the night sky.'
2
BAD: Although it was a sad film, I admired it very much.
GOOD: Although it was a sad film, I enjoyed it very much.
BAD: Everybody admired your talk because it was lively and interesting.
GOOD: Everybody enjoyed your talk because it was lively and interesting.
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Do not use admire when you mean 'enjoy'. Admire means 'have a very high opinion of someone': 'I've always admired people who think for themselves.' 'Lewis was probably best known and admired for his work on medieval literature.'