incur
English
WOTD – 24 August 2008
Alternative forms
- encur
Etymology
Borrowed from Anglo-Norman encurir, Middle French encourir, from Old French encorre, from Latin incurrere.
Pronunciation
- (UK) IPA(key): /ɪnˈkəː/
- (US) IPA(key): /ɪnˈkɝ/
Audio (US) (file) Audio (AU) (file) - Rhymes: -ɜː(r)
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
- 1891, Henry Graham Dakyns (translator), The works of Xenophon, "The Hellenica", 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 liable or subject to
- 1861, Francis Colburn Adams, An Outcast, Chapter VII,
- The least neglect of duty will incur[...] the penalty of thirty-nine well laid on in the morning.
- Chapman
- Lest you incur me much more damage in my fame than you have done me pleasure in preserving my life.
- 1861, Francis Colburn Adams, An Outcast, Chapter VII,
- 1891, Henry Graham Dakyns (translator), The works of Xenophon, "The Hellenica", Book 5, Chapter 3,
- (obsolete, transitive) to enter or pass into
- (obsolete, intransitive) to fall within a period or scope; to occur; to run into danger
Synonyms
- (to bring down or expose oneself to): encounter, contract (debts, etc.)
- (to render liable or subject to): occasion
Related terms
- incursion
- incursive
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
- Runic, runic