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incline

[ verb in-klahyn; noun in-klahyn, in-klahyn ]
/ verb ɪnˈklaɪn; noun ˈɪn klaɪn, ɪnˈklaɪn /
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See synonyms for: incline / inclined / inclining on Thesaurus.com

verb (used without object), in·clined, in·clin·ing.
verb (used with object), in·clined, in·clin·ing.
noun
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Idioms about incline

    incline one's ear, to listen, especially willingly or favorably: to incline one's ear to another's plea.

Origin of incline

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English inclinen, from Latin inclīnāre, equivalent to in-in-2 + -clīnāre “to bend” (see lean1); replacing Middle English enclinen, from Middle French, from Latin, as above

OTHER WORDS FROM incline

in·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.
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use incline in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for incline

incline

verb (ɪnˈklaɪn)
to deviate or cause to deviate from a particular plane, esp a vertical or horizontal plane; slope or slant
(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
to bend or lower (part of the body, esp the head), as in a bow or in order to listen
incline one's ear to listen favourably (to)
noun (ˈɪnklaɪn, ɪnˈklaɪn)
an inclined surface or slope; gradient

Derived forms of incline

incliner, noun

Word Origin for incline

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
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