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incline
[ verb in-klahyn; noun in-klahyn, in-klahyn ]
verb (used without object)
- to deviate from the vertical or horizontal; slant.
- to have a mental tendency, preference, etc.; be disposed:
We incline to rest and relaxation these days.
- to tend, in a physical sense; approximate:
The flowers incline toward blue.
- to tend in character or in course of action:
a political philosophy that inclines toward the conservative.
- to lean; bend.
verb (used with object)
- to dispose (a person) in mind, habit, etc. (usually followed by to ):
His attitude did not incline me to help him.
- to bow, nod, or bend (the head, body, etc.):
He inclined his head in greeting.
- to cause to lean or bend in a particular direction.
noun
- an inclined surface; slope; slant.
- Railroads.
- Also called inclined plane,. a cable railroad, the gradient of which is approximately 45°.
- any railroad or portion of a railroad, the gradient of which is too steep for ordinary locomotive adhesion alone to be effective.
- Mining.
- an angled shaft following a dipping vein.
- an inclined haulageway.
incline
verb
- to deviate or cause to deviate from a particular plane, esp a vertical or horizontal plane; slope or slant
- whentr, may take an infinitive to be disposed or cause to be disposed (towards some attitude or to do something)
he inclines towards levity
that does not incline me to think that you are right
- to bend or lower (part of the body, esp the head), as in a bow or in order to listen
- incline one's earto listen favourably (to)
noun
- an inclined surface or slope; gradient
- short for inclined railway
Derived Forms
- inˈcliner, noun
Other Words From
- in·clin·er noun
- o·ver·in·cline verb overinclined overinclining
- re·in·cline verb reinclined reinclining
Word History and Origins
Word History and Origins
Origin of incline1
Idioms and Phrases
- incline one's ear, to listen, especially willingly or favorably:
to incline one's ear to another's plea.
Example Sentences
“They’re generally more inclined to believe that climate change is an issue and that we need to do something about it.”
However, when the justices heard the case in December, the court’s conservatives said they were inclined to uphold Tennessee’s law on the grounds the state has the authority to regulate the practice of medicine.
But it is also true, according to opinion polls, that considerably more people in the UK are inclined to be critical of Donald Trump than supportive of him, particularly on his handling of Ukraine.
However, the justices voted to hear an appeal from the gunmakers, and they sounded inclined to dismiss the suit.
The hike has a steep initial incline, and it seems endless.
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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
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