propense, a. Now rare.
(prəʊˈpɛns)
Also 6–7 propence.
[ad. L. prōpens-us hanging toward, inclining, inclined; disposed, prone, favourable, pa. pple. of prōpend-ēre: see propend.]
1. Having an inclination, bias, or propensity to something; inclined, disposed, prone; ready, willing. Const. to, with n. or inf.; rarely towards.
| 1528 Fox in Pocock Rec. Ref. I. liii. 143 His holiness was..much propence to satisfy his majesty therein. c 1540 tr. Pol. Verg. Eng. Hist. (Camden) I. 86 A manne of nature somwhat to propense to the desier of glorie. c 1624 Lushington Recant. Serm. in Phenix (1708) II. 496 A propense and earnest Concurrence jointly to prosecute the same Good. 1671 Milton Samson 455 Feeble hearts, propense anough before To waver, or fall off and joyn with Idols. 1756 Johnson K. of Prussia Wks. IV. 549 He appears always propense towards the side of mercy. 1830 Foster in Life & Corr. (1846) II. 191, I am..little..capable of forming..new friendships;..I have never been propense to contract them. 1869 Goulburn Purs. Holiness xii. 111 Certain forms of sin to which all persons of strong passions..are naturally propense. |
† b. Inclined or biased in favour of some person, cause, etc.; propitious, favourable, partial. Obs.
| 1555 Eden Decades 278 With propense and frendly persuasions. 1670 Flamsteed in Rigaud Corr. Sci. Men (1841) II. 97, I fear he was partial to Tycho, because a Calvinist, and propense to Claromontius. a 1797 H. Walpole Mem. Geo. III (1845) III. iv. 96 However Rigby had charged Conway with being subservient to the Favorite, no man living was less propense to him. |
† c. Liable, subject (to physical influence). Obs.
| 1568 G. Skeyne The Pest A iij, Thingis, quhilkis makis ane man propense to becum Pestilential. a 1713 T. Ellwood Autobiog., etc. (1885) 230 Things subject to exterior sense Are to mutation most propense. |
† 2. [By association with the verbs purpense, prepense (q.v.), or their pa. pples.] Premeditated, deliberate, intentional: = prepense a. Obs.
| 1650 Bulwer Anthropomet. Ded., You will soon discern the propense malice of Satan in it. 1752 J. Louthian Form of Process (ed. 2) 33 Out of a murdering Design, and from a propense and premeditate Malice. |