Definify.com

Webster 1913 Edition


Indulge

In-dulge′

,
Verb.
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.
☞ 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
.

In-dulge′

,
Verb.
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 1828 Edition


Indulge

INDULGE

,
Verb.
T.
indulj'. [L. indulgeo; tolero.]
1.
To permit to be or to continue; to suffer; not to restrain or oppose; as, to indulge sloth; to indulge the passions; to indulge pride, selfishness or inclinations.
2.
To gratify, negatively; not to check or restrain the will, appetite or desire; as, to indulge children in amusements.
3.
To gratify, positively; to grant something not of right, but as a favor; to grant in compliance with wishes or desire.
Yet, yet a moment, one dim ray of light
Indulge, dread Chaos and eternal Night!
4.
In general, to gratify; to favor; to humor; to yield to the wishes of; to withhold restraint from.
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. He indulged himself with a glass of wine; he indulges himself in sloth or intemperance.

INDULGE

,
Verb.
T.
indulj'. To permit to enjoy or practice; or to yield to the enjoyment or practice of, without restraint or control; as, to indulge in sin, or in sensual pleasure. This form of expression is elliptical, a pronoun being omitted; as, to indulge myself or himself.
Most men are more willing to indulge in easy vices, than to practice laborious virtues.
1.
To yield; to comply; to be favorable. [Little used.]

Definition 2024


indulge

indulge

English

Verb

indulge (third-person singular simple present indulges, present participle indulging, simple past and past participle indulged)

  1. (intransitive, often followed by "in"): To yield to a temptation or desire.
    He looked at the chocolate but didn't indulge.
    I indulged in drinking on the weekend.
  2. (transitive) To satisfy the wishes or whims of.
    Grandma indulges the kids with sweets.
    I love to indulge myself with beautiful clothes.
    • Atterbury
      Hope in another life implies that we indulge ourselves in the gratifications of this very sparingly.
    • 2016 February 23, Robbie Collin, “Grimsby review: ' Sacha Baron Cohen's vital, venomous action movie'”, in The Daily Telegraph (London):
      It’s the kind of scenario Peter Sellers might have dreamt up while brushing his teeth, and some of the comic set-pieces – including Nobby’s seduction of a fabulously overweight maid (Gabourey Sidibe) at a luxurious South African hotel – allow Baron Cohen to indulge his Sellersian fantasies to a previously unprecedented degree.
  3. To give way to (a habit or temptation); not to oppose or restrain.
    to indulge sloth, pride, selfishness, or inclinations
  4. To grant an extension to the deadline of a payment.
  5. To grant as by favour; to bestow in concession, or in compliance with a wish or request.
    • Jeremy Taylor
      persuading us that something must be indulged to public manners
    • Alexander Pope
      Yet, yet a moment, one dim ray of light / Indulge, dread Chaos, and eternal Night!

Synonyms

Related terms

Translations

Anagrams


Italian

Verb

indulge

  1. third-person singular present indicative of indulgere

Latin

Verb

indulgē

  1. second-person singular present active imperative of indulgeō