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Meaning of incite in English

Table of contents
  1. Pronunciation
  2. Verb
    1. Etymology
    2. Definitions
  1. Pronunciation

    /ɪnˈsaɪt/

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  1. Verb

    incite

    Etymology

    late 15th century (earlier (late Middle English) as incitation): from French inciter, from Latin incitare, from in-‘towards’ + citare‘rouse’

    Definitions

    1. give an incentive for action

    Examples

    • « This moved me to sacrifice my career »

    Derived terms

    • act
    • actuation
    • human action
    • human activity
    • incentive
    • incitation
    • incitement
    • inducement
    • motivating
    • motivation
    • motivator
    • motive
    • need
    • propulsion
    • provocation
  2. 2. provoke or stir up

    Examples

    • « incite a riot »
    • « set off great unrest among the people »

    Derived terms

    • firebrand
    • fomentation
    • incitation
    • incitement
    • inciter
    • instigant
    • instigation
    • instigator
    • provocation
    • provoker
  3. 3. urge on

    Examples

    • « cause to act »
    • « They other children egged the boy on, but he did not want to throw the stone through the window »

    Derived terms

    • firebrand
    • goad
    • goading
    • incitation
    • incitement
    • inciter
    • instigant
    • instigator
    • prod
    • prodding
    • provocation
    • provoker
    • spur
    • spurring
    • urging

Famous quotes

  • « It has too often been too easy for rulers and governments to incite man to war. »
    Lester B. Pearson
  • « In poverty and other misfortunes of life, true friends are a sure refuge. The young they keep out of mischief to the old they are a comfort and aid in their weakness, and those in the prime of life they incite to noble deeds. »
    Aristotle
  • « The learning process is something you can incite, literally incite, like a riot. »
    Audre Lorde
  • « Dreams come true without that possibility, nature would not incite us to have them. »
    John Updike

Browse dictionary

  • incitation
  • incisure
  • incisura
  • incisor
  • incite
  • incitement
  • inciter
  • incitive
  • incivility
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