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indulge - 4 dictionary results

in⋅dulge

  [in-duhlj] verb, -dulged, -dulg⋅ing.
Use indulge in a Sentence
–verb (used without object)
1. to yield to an inclination or desire; allow oneself to follow one's will (often fol. by in): Dessert came, but I didn't indulge. They indulged in unbelievable shopping sprees.
–verb (used with object)
2. to yield to, satisfy, or gratify (desires, feelings, etc.): to indulge one's appetite for sweets.
3. to yield to the wishes or whims of; be lenient or permissive with: to indulge a child.
4. to allow (oneself) to follow one's will (usually fol. by in): to indulge oneself in reckless spending.
5. Commerce. to grant an extension of time, for payment or performance, to (a person, company, etc.) or on (a bill, note, etc.).
Origin:
1630–40; < L indulgēre to be lenient (toward), accede, take pleasure (in)

Related forms:
in⋅dulg⋅er, noun
in⋅dulg⋅ing⋅ly, adverb

Synonyms:
3. pamper, favor. See humor.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To indulge
in·dulge   (ĭn-dŭlj')   
v.   in·dulged, in·dulg·ing, in·dulg·es

v.   tr.
  1. To yield to the desires and whims of, especially to an excessive degree; humor.
    1. To yield to; gratify: indulge a craving for chocolate.
    2. To allow (oneself) unrestrained gratification: indulged herself with idle daydreams. See Synonyms at pamper.
  3. Roman Catholic Church To grant an ecclesiastical indulgence or dispensation to.
v.   intr.
  1. To indulge oneself: eyed the desserts but didn't indulge.
  2. To engage or take part, especially freely or avidly: indulged in outrageous behavior; indulged in all the latest fads.

[Latin indulgēre; see dlegh- in Indo-European roots.]
in·dulg'er n.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Indulge

In*dulge"\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Indulged; p. pr. & vb. n. Indulging.] [L. indulgere to be kind or tender to one; cf. OIr. dilgud, equiv. to L. remissio, OIr. dligeth, equiv. to L. lex, Goth. dulgs debt.]

1. To be complacent toward; to give way to; not to oppose or restrain; (a) when said of a habit, desire, etc.: to give free course to; to give one's self up to; as, to indulge sloth, pride, selfishness, or inclinations; (b) when said of a person: to yield to the desire of; to gratify by compliance; to humor; to withhold restraint from; as, to indulge children in their caprices or willfulness; to indulge one's self with a rest or in pleasure.

Hope in another life implies that we indulge ourselves in the gratifications of this very sparingly. --Atterbury.

2. To grant as by favor; to bestow in concession, or in compliance with a wish or request.

Persuading us that something must be indulged to public manners. --Jer. Taylor.

Yet, yet a moment, one dim ray of light Indulge, dread Chaos, and eternal Night! --Pope.

Note: It is remarked by Johnson, that if the matter of indulgence is a single thing, it has with before it; if it is a habit, it has in; as, he indulged himself with a glass of wine or a new book; he indulges himself in idleness or intemperance. See Gratify.

Indulge

In*dulge"\, v. i. To indulge one's self; to gratify one's tastes or desires; esp., to give one's self up (to); to practice a forbidden or questionable act without restraint; -- followed by in, but formerly, also, by to. "Willing to indulge in easy vices." --Johnson.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
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Language Translation for : indulge
Spanish: consentir,
German: nachgeben,
Japanese: 甘やかす
More Translations »
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