Definify.com
Webster 1913 Edition
Incline
In-cline′
,Verb.
I.
[
imp. & p. p.
Inclined
; p. pr. & vb. n.
Inclining
.] [OE.
inclinen
, enclinen
, OF. encliner
, incliner
, F. incliner
, L. inclinare
; pref. in-
in + clinare
to bend, incline; akin to E. lean
. See Lean
to incline.] 1.
To deviate from a line, direction, or course, toward an object; to lean; to tend;
as, converging lines
incline
toward each other; a road inclines
to the north or south.2.
Fig.: To lean or tend, in an intellectual or moral sense; to favor an opinion, a course of conduct, or a person; to have a propensity or inclination; to be disposed.
Their hearts
inclined
to follow Abimelech. Judges ix. 3.
Power finds its balance, giddy motions cease
In both the scales, and each
In both the scales, and each
inclines
to peace. Parnell.
Syn. – To lean; slope; slant; tend; bend.
In-cline′
,Verb.
T.
1.
To cause to deviate from a line, position, or direction; to give a leaning, bend, or slope to;
as,
incline
the column or post to the east; incline
your head to the right.Incline
thine ear, O Lord, and hear. Is. xxxvii. 17.
2.
To impart a tendency or propensity to, as to the will or affections; to turn; to dispose; to influence.
Incline
my heart unto thy testimonies. Ps. cxix. 36.
Incline
our hearts to keep this law. Book of Com. Prayer.
3.
To bend; to cause to stoop or bow;
as, to
. incline
the head or the body in acts of reverence or civilityWith due respect my body I
inclined
. Dryden.
In-cline′
,Noun.
An inclined plane; an ascent or descent; a grade or gradient; a slope.
Webster 1828 Edition
Incline
INCLI'NE
,Verb.
T.
1.
To lean; to deviate from an erect or parallel line toward any object; to tend. Converging lines incline toward each other. A road inclines to the north or south. Connecticut river runs south, inclining in some part of its course to the west, and below middletown, it inclines to the east.2.
To lean; in a moral sense; to have a propension; to be disposed; to have some wish or desire. Their hearts inclined to follow Abimelech. Judges 9.
3.
To have an appetite; to be disposed; as, to be inclined to eat.INCLI'NE
,Verb.
T.
1.
To give a tendency or propension to the will or affections; to turn; to dispose. Incline our hearts to keep this law.
Incline my heart to thy testimonies. Ps.119.
2.
To bend; to cause to stoop or bow; as, to incline the head or the body in acts of reverence or civility.Definition 2024
incline
incline
See also: incliné
English
Alternative forms
- encline (obsolete)
Verb
incline (third-person singular simple present inclines, present participle inclining, simple past and past participle inclined)
- (transitive) To bend or move (something) out of a given plane or direction, often the horizontal or vertical.
- He had to incline his body against the gusts to avoid being blown down in the storm.
- The people following the coffin inclined their heads in grief.
- (intransitive) To slope.
- Over the centuries the wind made the walls of the farmhouse incline.
- To tend to do or believe something, or move or be moved in a certain direction, away from a point of view, attitude, etc.
- He inclines to believe anything he reads in the newspapers.
- I'm inclined to give up smoking after hearing of the risks to my health.
- 1907, Robert W[illiam] Chambers, “chapter VIII”, in The Younger Set (Project Gutenberg; EBook #14852), New York, N.Y.: A. L. Burt Company, published 1 February 2005 (Project Gutenberg version), OCLC 4241346:
- "My tastes," he said, still smiling, "incline me to the garishly sunlit side of this planet." And, to tease her and arouse her to combat: "I prefer a farandole to a nocturne; I'd rather have a painting than an etching; Mr. Whistler bores me with his monochromatic mud; I don't like dull colours, dull sounds, dull intellects; […]."
- (Can we date this quote?), J. M. G. van der Poel, "Agriculture in Pre- and Protohistoric Times", in the Acta Historiae Neerlandica published by the Netherlands Committee of Historical Sciences, p.170:
- Usage note: In this sense incline is usually used in the passive voice, and usually intransitively.
Translations
bend (something) out of a given plane or direction
|
slope
to tend to do or believe something
Noun
incline (plural inclines)
- A slope.
- To reach the building, we had to climb a steep incline.
Translations
slope
Related terms
French
Verb
incline
- first-person singular present indicative of incliner
- third-person singular present indicative of incliner
- first-person singular present subjunctive of incliner
- third-person singular present subjunctive of incliner
- second-person singular imperative of incliner
Galician
Verb
incline
- first-person singular present subjunctive of inclinar
- third-person singular present subjunctive of inclinar