▪ I. † enˈcourage, n. Obs. rare—1.
[f. next.]
= encouragement.
| 1535 Act 27 Hen. VIII, c. 23 §2 To the great animacion and encourage of thoffendours. |
▪ II. encourage, v.
(ɛnˈkʌrɪdʒ)
Forms: α. 5 encorage, 6– encourage. β. 7 incorage (incurrage), 7–8 incourage.
[ad. OF. encoragier, Fr. encourager, f. en (see en-1) + corage: see courage.]
1. trans. To inspire with courage, animate, inspirit.
| α 1490 Caxton Eneydos (1889) 31 They were..gretly encoraged wyth goode hope. a 1593 H. Smith Serm. (1637) 404 God would have Joshua encouraged with all the encouragement that may be. a 1649 Drummond of Hawthornden Skiamachia Wks. (1711) 203 By encouraging those, who for..their own interest pretend religion. 1722 De Foe Plague (1754) 6 That which encourag'd them was, that the city was healthy. 1847 Emerson Repr. Men, Napoleon Wks. (Bohn) I. 376 Whatever appeals to the imagination..wonderfully encourages and liberates us. |
| β 1551 Robinson tr. More's Utop. (Arb.) 16 This verely is y⊇ chieffe cause, yat hath incouraged me. 1647 Ward Simp. Cobler 71 Prayers..that the God of power and goodness, would incourage your hearts. 1713 Steele Guardian No. 24 ¶2 Jack was incouraged at this success. |
2. Const. to with n. as obj. or with inf. a. To inspire with courage sufficient for any undertaking; to embolden, make confident.
| α 1553 Eden Treat. Newe Ind. (Arb.) 5 Yat they mighte..bee encouraged to do the like. 1651 Hobbes Leviath. ii. xxvii. 158 Presumeth on his force..which encourages him to commit the same again. 1785 Cowper Lett. 9 Nov., John Gilpin..first encouraged you to write. 1824 S. E. Ferrier Inher. xxxv, I feel encouraged to the liberty I am going to take, by the kindness you showed me. 1880 Mrs. Forrester Roy & V. I. 31 Encourage yourself to say these things now you are in Paris. |
| β 1538 Starkey England 153 The wych thyng undowtydly wold incorage basse stomakys to endevur themselfys dylygently. 1641 Prynne Antip. 3 Ded., To the which I have beene the more incouraged by a Divine Providence. 1743 Tindal Rapin's Hist. Eng. II. xvii. 53 Incouraged the Protestants to stand upon their defence. |
b. To incite, induce, instigate; in weaker sense, to recommend, advise.
| 1483 Caxton Cato G j b, They encorage somme persone to do euyl. 1612 Sir R. Dudley in Fortesc. Papers 7 note, To incurrage his Highnes to undertake a matter of that consequence. 1697 Dryden Virg. Georg. iii. 201 Water him, and..Encourage him to thirst again, with Bran. 1875 Jowett Plato (ed. 2) IV. 44 We are not encouraging individuals to make right or wrong for themselves. |
† c. ellipt. To encourage to come, to invite. Obs. rare.
| 1728 T. Sheridan Persius vi. (1739) 86 Ennius..[was] encouraged to Rome by Cato the Quæstor. |
3. To stimulate (persons or personal efforts) by assistance, reward, or expressions of favour or approval; to countenance, patronize; also, in bad sense, to abet.
| 1668 Hale Pref. Rolle's Abridgment 9 A Book published..not to abate their [Students'] Industry, but to incourage it. 1716 Lady M. W. Montague Lett. xi. I. 38 No woman dares..encourage two lovers at a time. 1777 Sheridan Sch. Scand. iv. i, Paying them [tradesmen] is only encouraging them. 1857 Buckle Civilis. I. xi. 629 Why should we call upon government to encourage those who write our books? 1866 Rogers Agric. & Pr. I. xxvi. 642 The bailiffs were allowed to encourage venturous boys in bringing young birds for purposes of training. 1876 Green Short. Hist. vi §3 (1882) 293 Among the group who encouraged the press of Caxton [was]..Richard, Duke of Gloucester. |
b. To allow or promote the continuance or development of (a natural growth, an industry, a sentiment, etc.); to cherish, foster.
| 1677 A. Yarranton Engl. Improv. 63 If the Iron Manufacture be not incouraged. 1694 Congreve Double Dealer i. v, Hum! I have encouraged a pimple here too. 1788 V. Knox Winter Even. I. iii. 31 Books of controversy..are less encouraged. 1856 Kane Arct. Expl. II. xviii. 184 Sunshine..encouraged a perceptible growth of flowering plants. 1863 Geo. Eliot Romola ii. xxiii, [He] grasped at a thought more actively cruel than any he had ever encouraged before. |
4. nonce-use. a. Humorously: To put spirit into (liquor). b. To make up for, compensate for.
| 1628 Hobbes Thucyd. (1822) 71 Encouraging their want of knowledge with store of men. 1655 Fuller Hist. Camb. v. §48, 87 Erasmus..sometimes incouraged his faint Ale with the mixture. |