Syn. — Bent; tendency; proneness; bias; proclivity; propensity; prepossession; predilection; attachment; desire; affection; love.
See Bent, and cf. Disposition.
Inclinatory
(In*clin"a*to*ry) a. Having the quality of leaning or inclining; as, the inclinatory needle. —
In*clin"a*to*ri*ly adv. Sir T. Browne.
Incline
(In*cline") v. i. [imp. & p. p. Inclined ; p. pr. & vb. n. Inclining.] [OE. inclinen, enclinen,
OF. encliner, incliner, F. incliner, L. inclinare; pref. in- in + clinare to bend, incline; akin to E. lean.
See Lean to incline.]
1. To deviate from a line, direction, or course, toward an object; to lean; to tend; as, converging lines incline
toward each other; a road inclines to the north or south.
2. Fig.: To lean or tend, in an intellectual or moral sense; to favor an opinion, a course of conduct, or a
person; to have a propensity or inclination; to be disposed.
Their hearts inclined to follow Abimelech.
Judges ix. 3.
Power finds its balance, giddy motions cease
In both the scales, and each inclines to peace.
Parnell. 3. To bow; to incline the head. Chaucer.
Syn. — To lean; slope; slant; tend; bend.
Incline
(In*cline"), v. t.
1. To cause to deviate from a line, position, or direction; to give a leaning, bend, or slope to; as, incline
the column or post to the east; incline your head to the right.
Incline thine ear, O Lord, and hear.
Is. xxxvii. 17. 2. To impart a tendency or propensity to, as to the will or affections; to turn; to dispose; to influence.
Incline my heart unto thy testimonies.
Ps. cxix. 36.
Incline our hearts to keep this law.
Book of Com. Prayer. 3. To bend; to cause to stoop or bow; as, to incline the head or the body in acts of reverence or civility.
With due respect my body I inclined.
Dryden. Incline
(In*cline"), n. An inclined plane; an ascent or descent; a grade or gradient; a slope.
