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inclined

[in-klahynd]
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adjective
  1. deviating in direction from the horizontal or vertical; sloping.
  2. disposed; of a mind (usually followed by to): He was inclined to stay.
  3. having a physical tendency; leaning.
  4. tending in a direction that makes an angle with anything else.

Origin of inclined

First recorded in 1350–1400, inclined is from the Middle English word enclyned. See incline, -ed2
Related formshalf-in·clined, adjectivequa·si-in·clined, adjectiveun·in·clined, adjectivewell-in·clined, adjective

incline

[verb in-klahyn; noun in-klahyn, in-klahyn]
verb (used with object), in·clined, in·clin·ing.
  1. to deviate from the vertical or horizontal; slant.
  2. to have a mental tendency, preference, etc.; be disposed: We incline to rest and relaxation these days.
  3. to tend, in a physical sense; approximate: The flowers incline toward blue.
  4. to tend in character or in course of action: a political philosophy that inclines toward the conservative.
  5. to lean; bend.
verb (used with object), in·clined, in·clin·ing.
  1. to dispose (a person) in mind, habit, etc. (usually followed by to): His attitude did not incline me to help him.
  2. to bow, nod, or bend (the head, body, etc.): He inclined his head in greeting.
  3. to cause to lean or bend in a particular direction.
noun
  1. an inclined surface; slope; slant.
  2. Railroads.
    1. Also called inclined plane, incline plane.a cable railroad, the gradient of which is approximately 45°.
    2. any railroad or portion of a railroad, the gradient of which is too steep for ordinary locomotive adhesion alone to be effective.
  3. Mining.
    1. an angled shaft following a dipping vein.
    2. an inclined haulageway.
Idioms
  1. incline one's ear, to listen, especially willingly or favorably: to incline one's ear to another's plea.

Origin of incline

1300–50; Middle English inclinen < Latin inclīnāre, equivalent to in- in-2 + -clīnāre to bend (see lean1); replacing Middle English enclinen < Middle French < Latin, as above
Related formsin·clin·er, nouno·ver·in·cline, verb, o·ver·in·clined, o·ver·in·clin·ing.re·in·cline, verb, re·in·clined, re·in·clin·ing.

Synonyms

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1. lean, slope, rise, fall, pitch. 2. tend, lean. 3, 4. verge, veer.
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for inclined

Contemporary Examples

Historical Examples

  • But to his surprise he found that Mrs. Rushton was inclined to regard it favorably.

    Brave and Bold

    Horatio Alger

  • Percival, with his new air of Wall Street operator, was inclined to hesitate.

    The Spenders

    Harry Leon Wilson

  • "I am inclined to the belief that nature is the best preacher," Ashton remarked.

    Life in London

    Edwin Hodder

  • Most people, I fear, wait till they are inclined to seek him.

    Weighed and Wanting

    George MacDonald

  • Instead, she was inclined to boast over her ability to bamboozle men at her will.

    Within the Law

    Marvin Dana

British Dictionary definitions for inclined

inclined

adjective
  1. (postpositive often foll by to) having a disposition; tending
  2. sloping or slanting

incline

verb (ɪnˈklaɪn)
  1. to deviate or cause to deviate from a particular plane, esp a vertical or horizontal plane; slope or slant
  2. (when tr, may take an infinitive) to be disposed or cause to be disposed (towards some attitude or to do something)he inclines towards levity; that does not incline me to think that you are right
  3. to bend or lower (part of the body, esp the head), as in a bow or in order to listen
  4. incline one's ear to listen favourably (to)
noun (ˈɪnklaɪn, ɪnˈklaɪn)
  1. an inclined surface or slope; gradient
  2. short for inclined railway
Derived Formsincliner, noun

Word Origin

C13: from Latin inclīnāre to cause to lean, from clīnāre to bend; see lean 1
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for inclined

incline

n.

c.1600, "mental tendency," from incline (v.). The literal meaning "slant, slope" is attested from 1846.

incline

v.

c.1300, "to bend or bow toward," from Old French encliner, from Latin inclinare "to cause to lean; bend, incline, turn, divert," from in- "into, in, on, upon" (see in- (2)) + clinare "to bend," from PIE *klei-n-, suffixed form of *klei- "to lean" (see lean (v.)). Metaphoric sense of "have a mental disposition toward" is early 15c. in English (but existed in classical Latin). Related: Inclined; inclining.

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper