encourage

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See also: encouragé

English

Alternative forms

Etymology

From Middle English encouragen, encoragen, from Anglo-Norman encoragier, from Old French encoragier. Displaced native Old English hiertan, tyhtan, and trymman.

Pronunciation

Verb

encourage (third-person singular simple present encourages, present participle encouraging, simple past and past participle encouraged) (transitive)

  1. To mentally support; to motivate, give courage, hope or spirit.
    I encouraged him during his race.
    Delia's coach encouraged her to focus on the positives.
  2. To spur on, strongly recommend.
    We encourage the use of bicycles in the town centre.
    We encourage you to cycle instead of taking the car.
  3. To foster, give help or patronage
    The royal family has always encouraged the arts in word and deed.

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Related terms

Translations

The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.

French

Pronunciation

Verb

encourage

  1. inflection of encourager:
    1. first/third-person singular present indicative/subjunctive
    2. singular imperative
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