intrigue
[verb in-treeg; noun in-treeg, in-treeg]
- to arouse the curiosity or interest of by unusual, new, or otherwise fascinating or compelling qualities; appeal strongly to; captivate: The plan intrigues me, but I wonder if it will work.
- to achieve or earn by appealing to another's curiosity, fancy, or interest: to intrigue one's way into another's notice.
- to draw or capture: Her interest was intrigued by the strange symbol.
- to accomplish or force by crafty plotting or underhand machinations.
- Obsolete. to entangle.
- Obsolete. to trick or cheat.
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- to plot craftily or underhandedly.
- to carry on a secret or illicit love affair.
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- the use of underhand machinations or deceitful stratagems.
- such a machination or stratagem or a series of them; a plot or crafty dealing: political intrigues.
- a secret or illicit love affair.
- the series of complications forming the plot of a play.
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Origin of intrigue
Synonyms
See more synonyms for on Thesaurus.comSynonym study
10. See conspiracy.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
Examples from the Web for intrigued
Contemporary Examples
The apparent leader of this girl gang Lady, says, “You look angry, and I am intrigued.”
Curry was intrigued and, unlike the other filmmakers VanDyke consulted, he had time to take on a major project.
Gillespie finds true romance in reasoning, and he was intrigued.
People are so intrigued by this idea of the same boy actually growing up on screen—which is a classic Rick [Linklater] idea.
Intrigued by an excerpt from a letter by Mozart included in the text?
Historical Examples
Here is a salad that would have intrigued the palate of Lucullus, himself.
Her Father's DaughterGene Stratton-Porter
M. de Rivarol, intrigued by his mirth, scowled upon him disapprovingly.
Captain BloodRafael Sabatini
He had been a fool to have permitted himself to be intrigued by so shallow, so obvious a purpose.
The Sea-HawkRaphael Sabatini
Intrigued by his odd words and odder manner, she took the folded sheet.
ScaramoucheRafael Sabatini
I plotted, and schemed, and intrigued to obtain access to information.
Gerald FitzgeraldCharles James Lever
intrigue
- (tr) to make interested or curiousI'm intrigued by this case, Watson
- (intr) to make secret plots or employ underhand methods; conspire
- (intr often foll by with) to carry on a clandestine love affair
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- the act or an instance of secret plotting, etc
- a clandestine love affair
- the quality of arousing interest or curiosity; beguilement
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Word Origin
C17: from French intriguer, from Italian intrigare, from Latin intrīcāre; see intricate
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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Word Origin and History for intrigued
intrigue
v.
1610s, "to trick, deceive, cheat" (earlier entriken, late 14c.), from French intriguer (16c.), from Italian intrigare "to plot, meddle," from Latin intricare "entangle" (see intricate). Meaning "to plot or scheme" first recorded 1714; that of "to excite curiosity" is from 1894. Related: Intrigued; intriguing (1680s, "plotting, scheming;" meaning "exciting curiosity" is from 1909).
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intrigue
n.
1640s, probably from intrigue (v.).
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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper