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indulge

Source : Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

Indulge \In*dulge"\, v. i.
   To indulge one's self; to gratify one's tastes or desires;
   esp., to give one's self up (to); to practice a forbidden or
   questionable act without restraint; -- followed by in, but
   formerly, also, by to. ``Willing to indulge in easy vices.''
   --Johnson.

Indulge \In*dulge"\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Indulged}; p. pr. &
   vb. n. {Indulging}.] [L. indulgere to be kind or tender to
   one; cf. OIr. dilgud, equiv. to L. remissio, OIr. dligeth,
   equiv. to L. lex, Goth. dulgs debt.]
   1. To be complacent toward; to give way to; not to oppose or
      restrain;
      (a) when said of a habit, desire, etc.: to give free
          course to; to give one's self up to; as, to indulge
          sloth, pride, selfishness, or inclinations;
      (b) when said of a person: to yield to the desire of; to
          gratify by compliance; to humor; to withhold restraint
          from; as, to indulge children in their caprices or
          willfulness; to indulge one's self with a rest or in
          pleasure.

                Hope in another life implies that we indulge
                ourselves in the gratifications of this very
                sparingly.                        --Atterbury.

   2. To grant as by favor; to bestow in concession, or in
      compliance with a wish or request.

            Persuading us that something must be indulged to
            public manners.                       --Jer. Taylor.

            Yet, yet a moment, one dim ray of light Indulge,
            dread Chaos, and eternal Night!       --Pope.

   Note: It is remarked by Johnson, that if the matter of
         indulgence is a single thing, it has with before it; if
         it is a habit, it has in; as, he indulged himself with
         a glass of wine or a new book; he indulges himself in
         idleness or intemperance. See {Gratify}.

Source : WordNet®

indulge
     v 1: give free rein to; "The writer indulged in metaphorical
          language"
     2: yield (to); give satisfaction to [syn: {gratify}, {pander}]
     3: enjoy to excess [syn: {luxuriate}]
     4: treat with excessive indulgence; "grandparents often pamper
        the children"; "Let's not mollycoddle our students!" [syn:
         {pamper}, {featherbed}, {cosset}, {cocker}, {baby}, {coddle},
         {mollycoddle}, {spoil}]
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