tempt
from
WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006)
tempt
v 1: dispose or incline or entice to; "We were tempted by the
delicious-looking food" [syn: {tempt}, {allure}]
2: provoke someone to do something through (often false or
exaggerated) promises or persuasion; "He lured me into
temptation" [syn: {entice}, {lure}, {tempt}]
3: give rise to a desire by being attractive or inviting; "the
window displays tempted the shoppers" [syn: {tempt},
{invite}]
4: induce into action by using one's charm; "She charmed him
into giving her all his money" [syn: {charm}, {influence},
{tempt}]
5: try to seduce
6: try presumptuously; "St. Anthony was tempted in the desert"
from
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
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.
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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.
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Tempt not the brave and needy to despair. --Dryden.
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Nor tempt the wrath of heaven's avenging Sire.
--Pope.
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4. To endeavor to accomplish or reach; to attempt.
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Ere leave be given to tempt the nether skies.
--Dryden.
[1913 Webster]
Syn: To entice; allure; attract; decoy; seduce.
[1913 Webster]
from
Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0
64 Moby Thesaurus words for "tempt":
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
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