tempt

verbattested in dialogue

United States//tɛmpt//
United States//tɛmt//

To provoke someone to do wrong, especially by promising a reward; to entice.

verb

1
To provoke someone to do wrong, especially by promising a reward; to entice.
She tempted me to eat the apple.
By Heav’ns, ſuch Virtues, join’d with ſuch Succeſs, Diſtract my very Soul: Our Father’s Fortune Wou’d almoſt tempt us to renounce his Precepts.
Eveline Hill, the protagonist of the Dubliners story "Eveline," for example, successfully extricates herself from the confines of her "Eve" name since, like her nameling in the Garden of Eden who was tempted by promises of knowledge, Eveline, too, is tempted: […]
2
To attract; to allure.
Its glossy skin tempted me.
The next time you are trout fishing and none of your lures tempts the fish, smoke a spoon hook and cast it.
3
To provoke something; to court.
It would be tempting fate.

Etymology

From Middle English tempten, from Old French tempter (French: tenter), from Latin temptare, from tentare (“to handle, touch, try, test, tempt”), frequentative of tendere (“to stretch”). Displaced native English costning (“temptation”).

Forms

past tense: tempted
past participle: tempted
present participle: tempting
third person singular: tempts

temporal · Of or relating to the material world, as opposed to sacred or…temporarily · For a limited period of time; not permanently.temporary · Not permanent; existing only for a period or periods of time.

tempt · To provoke someone to do wrong, especially by promising a reward; to entice.

temptation · The act of tempting.tempting · Attractive, appealing, enticing.ten · The number occurring after nine and before eleven,…

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