incline

incline vb

1 lean, *slant, slope

Analogous words: bend, *curve: *swerve, veer, deviate: deflect, *turn

2 Incline, bias, dispose, predispose mean to influence one to take a stated or implied attitude to something or to someone or to have such an attitude as a result of prior influences.

Incline (see also SLANT) implies that the mind or the feelings have been so affected that one is already leaning toward one of two or more possible conclusions, projects, decisions, or objects (as of affection). The word suggests no more than the tipping of the balance toward one and therefore connotes merely a tendency to favor one more than the other or others

{

such considerations are not supposed to be entertained by judges, except as inclining them to one of two interpretations— Justice Holmes

}

{

the vast majority of people do not incline to be drunkards— Fishbein

}

{

Mr. Owen inclines to cover up Lloyd George's odious treatment of King George V— Sykes

}

{

on this visit I found Australia generally inclined to be inimical— Heiser

}

Bias implies a stronger and more settled leaning than incline; it usually connotes a prejudice for or against

{

it would be mortifying to . . . many ladies could they . . . understand how little the heart of man is affected by what is costly or new in their attire; how little it is biased by the texture of their muslin— Austen

}

{

she was unfairly biased towards the Liberal party in the state, and too apt to approve of the measures they passed— Rose Macaulay

}

Dispose differs from incline in stressing the implication of putting one into a frame of mind that is proper or necessary for the end in view or that makes one ready or willing to do something or to take some stand; therefore it often connotes the sway of one's disposition, mood, temper, or attitude

{

his open face disposes one to believe him innocent

}

{

the depression disposed many persons to become more thrifty

}

{

a thinker so little disposed to treat the names of these religious philosophers with respect— Inge

}

{

those disposed to violate or evade the decrees of the sovereign— Cohen

}

Predispose differs from dispose in implying the existence of the frame of mind or of the proper disposition in advance of the opportunity to manifest itself in action

{

circuinstances are predisposing men to accept principles which they attacked a few years ago

}

{

if she is flattered and indulged, she will be predisposed to be favorable to him

}

{

we are much influenced in youth by sleepless nights; they disarm, they predispose us to submit to soft occasion— Meredithy

}

Predispose is also used of a physical tendency or condition which makes one susceptible to a given infection or disease

{

predisposed to tuberculosis

}

{

the coldness and dampness . . . predispose the miner to rheumatism— Mumford

}

Analogous words: influence, *affect, sway: *move, drive, impel

Antonyms: disincline, indispose