tempt

/tempt/
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tempt

The delicious-looking cake in the window display tempted the hungry child.

Definition
  1. Verb:
    • To entice or try to persuade someone to do something, often something unwise or wrong: To make someone want to have or do something, especially something that is unnecessary, wrong, or not in their best interest.
    • To cause a strong desire for something; to be appealing or attractive: To make something seem very desirable or inviting.
    • To test or try provocatively: To provoke or risk provoking a reaction, often in a challenging way.
Usage and Examples
  • Basic Usage (to entice someone):
    • The advertisement was designed to tempt consumers to buy the new product.
    • He tried to tempt his friend into skipping class.
  • Basic Usage (to cause desire):
    • The smell of fresh bread tempted me as I walked past the bakery.
    • The idea of a long vacation tempts me greatly.
  • Usage in a challenging or testing context:
    • It is unwise to tempt fate by taking unnecessary risks.
    • She felt it would tempt providence to assume everything would go perfectly.
Advanced Usage and Nuances
  • "to tempt someone with something": To try to attract someone by offering them something desirable.
    • The company tempted the engineer with a very high salary.
  • "to be tempted to do something": To have a desire or inclination to do something, even if one knows one should not.
    • I was tempted to eat the whole cake by myself.
  • "to tempt fate/providence": To act in a way that risks causing something bad to happen, often by being overconfident.
    • Leaving your door unlocked is just tempting fate.
Variants and Related Words
  • Temptation (n): The desire to do something, especially something wrong or unwise, or the thing that causes this desire.
    • He resisted the temptation to check his phone during the meeting.
  • Tempting (adj): Appealing to or attracting someone, even if it is wrong or inadvisable.
    • The offer of a free car was very tempting.
  • Tempter (n): A person or thing that tempts someone (often used in a religious context).
    • In the story, the devil is portrayed as the tempter.
Synonyms
  • Entice: To attract or tempt by offering pleasure or advantage.
  • Lure: To persuade someone to do something or go somewhere by offering them something exciting.
  • Seduce: To persuade someone to do something they might not normally do, often with a focus on sexual attraction or immoral action.
  • Allure: To powerfully attract or charm.
Related Phrasal Verbs/Constructions

(Note: "Tempt" is not commonly used with particles to form standard phrasal verbs. The constructions above, like "tempt with" or "tempt to," are prepositional uses.)

Related Idioms
  • Tempted of the devil: An old-fashioned expression meaning strongly tempted to do something sinful or wrong.
  • A tempting prospect: An opportunity or possibility that is very attractive.
    • Early retirement is a tempting prospect for many.
tempt

The delicious-looking cake in the window display tempted the hungry child.

Verb
  1. try presumptuously
    • St. Anthony was tempted in the desert
  2. try to seduce
  3. induce into action by using one's charm
    • She charmed him into giving her all his money
  4. give rise to a desire by being attractive or inviting
    • the window displays tempted the shoppers
  5. provoke someone to do something through (often false or exaggerated) promises or persuasion
    • He lured me into temptation
  6. dispose or incline or entice to
    • We were tempted by the delicious-looking food

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