A Topical Dictionary: Search for tempt

Dictionary Results For "tempt" [?]/[OPML]

Ads By Google

Wiktionary Articles [RSS] - [GNU, www.Wiktionary.org]

English

Pronunciation

An audio transcript can be found at en-us-tempt.ogg

Rhymes: Rhymes:English:-ɛmpt|-ɛmpt

Etymology

From tempter (French: tenter), from temptare.

Verb

To provoke someone to do wrong, especially by promising a reward; to entice.
:She tempted me to eat the apple.
To attract; to allure.
:Its glossy skin tempted me.
To provoke something; to court.
:It would be tempting fate.

Translations

Finnish: houkutella, viekoitella
French: tenter

Norwegian: friste

French: attirer

Norwegian: friste

Derived terms

fr:tempt io:tempt hu:tempt ta:tempt te:tempt vi:tempt zh:tempt

GNU Project's publication of CIDE, the Collaborative International Dictionary of English Tempt \Tempt\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Tempted; p. pr. & vb. n.
Tempting.] [OE. tempten, tenten, from OF. tempter, tenter,
F. tenter, fr. L. tentare, temptare, to handle, feel, attack,
to try, put to the test, urge, freq. from tendere, tentum,
and tensum, to stretch. See Thin, and cf. Attempt,
Tend, Taunt, Tent a pavilion, Tent to probe.]
1. To put to trial; to prove; to test; to try.
[1913 Webster]

God did tempt Abraham. --Gen. xxii.
1.
[1913 Webster]

Ye shall not tempt the Lord your God. --Deut. vi.
16.
[1913 Webster]

2. To lead, or endeavor to lead, into evil; to entice to what
is wrong; to seduce.
[1913 Webster]

Every man is tempted when he is drawn away of his
own lust, and enticed. --James i. 14.
[1913 Webster]

3. To endeavor to persuade; to induce; to invite; to incite;
to provoke; to instigate.
[1913 Webster]

Tempt not the brave and needy to despair. --Dryden.
[1913 Webster]

Nor tempt the wrath of heaven's avenging Sire.
--Pope.
[1913 Webster]

4. To endeavor to accomplish or reach; to attempt.
[1913 Webster]

Ere leave be given to tempt the nether skies.
--Dryden.
[1913 Webster]

Syn: To entice; allure; attract; decoy; seduce.
[1913 Webster]

WordNet tempt
v 1: dispose or incline or entice to; "We were tempted by the
delicious-looking food" [syn: allure]
2: provoke someone to do something through (often false or
exaggerated) promises or persuasion; "He lured me into
temptation" [syn: entice, lure]
3: give rise to a desire by being attractive or inviting; "the
window displays tempted the shoppers" [syn: invite]
4: induce into action by using one's charm; "She charmed him
into giving her all his money" [syn: charm, influence]
5: try to seduce
6: try presumptuously; "St. Anthony was tempted in the desert"

Moby Dictionary
allure , appeal , attract , bait , be attractive , becharm , beckon ,
bewitch , bring , cajole , captivate , carry , carry away , charm , coax ,
court , dare , decide , decoy , determine , dispose , draw in , draw on ,
enamor , endear , engage , enlist , enrapture , entice , entrap ,
fascinate , fetch , get to do , hold in thrall , incline , induce ,
infatuate , inflame with love , influence , interest , interest in ,
inveigle , invite , lead , lead on , lure , move , persuade , procure ,
prompt , provoke , rouse , seduce , solicit , summon , sway , tantalize ,
tease , tickle , titillate , train , vamp , whet the appetite , woo