incur
From Wiktionary, the free dictionary
Alternative forms
Etymology
From Middle English incurren, from Anglo-Norman encurir, Middle French encourir, from Old French encorre, from Latin incurrere.
Pronunciation
- (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /ɪnˈkɜː/
- (General American) IPA(key): /ɪnˈkɝ/
Audio (US): (file) Audio (General Australian): (file) - Rhymes: -ɜː(ɹ)
Verb
incur (third-person singular simple present incurs, present participle incurring, simple past and past participle incurred)
- (transitive) To bring upon oneself or expose oneself to, especially something inconvenient, harmful, or onerous; to become liable or subject to.
- Near-synonym: contract (debts, etc.)
- Coordinate terms: experience, encounter, sustain
- Cruelty incurs calamity.
- 1648, Walter Montagu, “The Eleventh Treatise. Of Medisance or Detraction. §. II. Some Rules whereby to Square Our Discourse, and an Expedient Offered towards the Correction of Medisance.”, in Miscellanea Spiritualia: Or, Devout Essaies, London: […] W[illiam] Lee, D[aniel] Pakeman, and G[abriel] Bedell, […], →OCLC, page 135:
- VVherefore I beſeech every one vvhom it may concerne, to put on a ſerious diſplicence, upon theſe occaſions, that they may not incurre this menace of Chriſt, VVoe be unto you that laugh novv, but rather entitle themſelves to this promiſe of the Holy Ghoſt, They ſhall laugh in the latter day.
- 1891, “The Hellenica”, in Henry Graham Dakyns, transl., The works of Xenophon, Book 5, Chapter 3:
- [T]he master in his wrath may easily incur worse evil himself than he inflicts—[...]
- 1910, Nicholas Machiavelli, translated by Ninian Hill Thomson, The Prince, Chapter XIX:
- And here it is to be noted that hatred is incurred as well on account of good actions as of bad;
- (chiefly law, accounting) To render (somebody, or oneself) liable or subject to.
- 1861, Francis Colburn Adams, “Chapter VII”, in An Outcast:
- The least neglect of duty will incur[...] the penalty of thirty-nine well laid on in the morning.
- 1605 August (first performance), Geo[rge] Chapman, Ben Ionson, Ioh[n] Marston, Eastward Hoe. […], London: […] [George Eld] for William Aspley, published September 1605, →OCLC, (please specify the page):
- Lest you incur me much more damage in my fame than you have done me pleasure in preserving my life.
- (obsolete, transitive) To enter or pass into.
- (obsolete, intransitive) To fall within a period or scope; to occur; to run into danger.
Related terms
Translations
to expose oneself to something inconvenient
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to render liable or subject to; to occasion
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obsolete: to enter into
obsolete: to fall within a period or scope; to occur; to run into danger
Anagrams
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