inclinedadj.
/ɪnˈklʌɪnd/, /ɪŋˈklʌɪnd/, U.S. /ᵻnˈklaɪnd/, /ɪŋˈklaɪnd/ 1.
a. Having a tendency to behave, think, feel, etc., in a particular way; having a particular predisposition or talent.
(a) In predicative use, chiefly with infinitive, prepositional phrase (esp. with to), or adverb or adverbial phrase (as artistically inclined, dishonestly inclined, etc.).that way inclined: see way n.1 13b.
ΘΚΠ
the world > existence and causation > existence > state or condition > tendency > [adjective] > inclined
set13..
tendenta1340
disposedc1380
enclinant1400
inclining?c1400
inclinedc1405
prone1408
hieldingc1480
talenteda1500
inclinablea1513
prone1528
propense1528
minded1529
propensed1530
ready1533
proclivec1540
fit1574
tending to1578
forward1581
minded1588
propensive1599
intense1620
propendenta1646
propended1693
calculated1723
oriented1925
prone1926
turned1931
orientated1964
c1405 (c1390) G. Chaucer Parson's Tale (Hengwrt) (2003) §287 The moore þt a man chargeth his soule wt venial synnes, the moore is he enclyned to falle in dedly synne.
1483 ( tr. G. Deguileville Pilgrimage of Soul (Caxton) iv. xxx. f. lxxvj Yf it soo byfalle that the hede be..enclyned [printed enclyued] to counceylle.
1533 T. Elyot Of Knowl. Wise Man iv. f. 51v Therfore be they in sondry wyse inclyned in the operation of theyr sences or wyttes.
1548 Hall's Vnion: Henry VIII f. lviii The kyng euer enclyned to mercy, sent theim apparell.
1575 G. Fenton Golden Epist. f. 141v I loued you wyth great ielousie, not for that I sawe you ill inclined, but beecause I feared you should fall into ill Councell.
a1616 W. Shakespeare Measure for Measure (1623) iii. i. 386 He was not enclin'd that way. View more context for this quotation
1651 T. Hobbes Leviathan i. viii. 38 A mans spirit, enclined to Godlinesse.
a1743 J. Cannon Chrons. (2010) I. 176 William was wild, slackel brained & knavishly inclined.
1784 E. Sibly New & Compl. Illustr. Astrol. ii. 765 He was very studiously inclined, and influenced to the regular pursuit of the mathematics.
1842 Mother's Monthly Jrnl. May 72/2 Is she inclined to petulance, [then] guard her against such occasions as will arouse her irritability.
1848 W. M. Thackeray Vanity Fair xliii. 392 The little boy..is..forward, and inclined to be saucy and self-willed.
1917 Quiver June 711/1 Here is a splendid opportunity for those of you who are artistically inclined.
1975 S. J. Perelman Vinegar Puss 187 What with his tribulations and frequent infusions of hooch, Papa was inclined to ramble somewhat.
2002 S. Creech Ruby Holler ii. 5 Dallas was the quieter of the two and the one more inclined to daydreaming.
(b) attributive. Usually with preceding adverb.mechanically inclined, musically inclined, piously inclined, politically inclined, etc.: see first element. See also well-inclined adj.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > will > wish or inclination > [adjective] > favourably
bethoughta1250
fainc1275
agreeable1448
inclinablec1449
favourablec1460
inclined1561
hospitable1655
non-resistant1796
1561 T. Norton tr. J. Calvin Inst. Christian Relig. i. f. 21 His fatherly bountie and enclined will to do good.
1603 King James VI & I Basilicon Doron (1944) I. To Rdr. 19 To whiche hydra of diuerslie enclined spectators, I haue no targe to oppone.
1715 R. South 12 Serm. IV. 366 An ill-inclined Judgment, and worse-ordered Morals.
1797 J. Downie Hints towards Improvem. of Counties Ross & Cromarty 30 The best inclined child, by being idle, lies open to the advice and example of the most abandoned.
1821 Examiner 21 Oct. 659/1 When we first knew Sir Walter [Scott] as a politician..we certainly did think him a very slavishly-inclined talker of Kings.
1920 Times 25 May 14/1 Manifestly he can go in for a tandem motor-cycle, just as the sociably-inclined pedal cyclist has done in his own sphere.
1964 C. V. Mutwa Indaba, my Children iv. 453 Corporal punishment infuriates, challenges and hardens the average criminally inclined human being.
2014 New Statesman 24 Oct. 28/3 A well-balanced, academically inclined family is an undoubted asset in many ways.
b. Showing favour, sympathy, or support for a particular person or thing; favourably disposed. Chiefly in predicative use with to, toward, or towards, often with modifying adverb.
ΚΠ
1473 in Rec. Parl. Scotl. to 1707 (2007) 1473/7/8 Gif the said ambassatouris seyis the said king of France and duke of Burgunye wele inclinit to oure soveraine lorde in his said counte and duchery.
1525 Ld. Berners tr. J. Froissart Cronycles II. xviii. f. xiiiiv/1 Jaques Dardenboure founde all tho of the bochery well enclyned to his wyll.
1584 E. Paget tr. J. Calvin Comm. Gospel after John xvi. 376 in Harmonie vpon Three Euangelists The father shalbe so inclined towarde the disciples, that he shall willinglye and readily giue them whatsoeuer they shall pray for.
1623 T. Jackson Raging Tempest Stilled 272 Esau..whose heart was so inclined to his brother, that when they met..he embraced him, fell on his necke and kissed him.
1694 tr. E. Benoist Hist. Famous Edict of Nantes I. iii. 163 He told 'em that the King, who in effect renew'd his Promises every day, was very affectionately enclin'd towards 'em.
1748 R. Poole Jrnl. 10 Dec. in Beneficient Bee (1753) 193/1 All Nature..becoming now voratiously inclined towards each other.
1754 S. Foote Knights ii. 43 I have no Objections to the Acceleration of their Nuptials, provided the Child is inclined, and a Minister may be procur'd.
1780 Mirror No. 78 I was not violently inclined towards literature.
1873 W. Black Princess of Thule vii. 114 Ingram was now well inclined to the project.
1903 Jewish Encycl. V. 406/2 An early branch of the imperial Flavian house was at one time inclined toward Judaism and Christianity.
1995 Q June 147/1 Messrs Newman, Lewis, Gilbert and Gotobed were less inclined toward pop scrapes and experimental edginess, preferring a plush, elegantly accessible Britpop blend.
2006 Independent 25 July 27/5 During the Thatcher years the Tories were more favourably inclined towards Israel than at any previous time in their history.
c. Having a tendency or inclination to follow a particular course of action; disposed; of a mind to do something, willing. Chiefly with infinitive. Now frequently in polite formulas, as I am inclined to disagree, I am inclined to think, etc.
ΚΠ
1525 Ld. Berners tr. J. Froissart Cronycles II. f. ccxlviv/2 He sawe the kynge his nephue enclyned to haue peace.
1584 Copie of Let. conc. Erle of Leycester 2 At the first, I found them auerse and nothing inclined to graunt your demand.
1649 E. Bradshaw Husbandmans Harrow 9 Such who are..inclin'd for marriage, are not very suitable for consociation with such as make themselves chaste.
1703 D. Defoe Let. Apr. in Hist. MSS Comm.: 15th Rep.: App. Pt. IV: MSS Duke of Portland (1897) IV. 62 in Parl. Papers (C. 8497) XLIX. 1 If you find him inclined to have compassion.
1787 E. Wallace tr. ‘Dumaniant’ Diamond cut Diamond ii. 50 Abuse me, Sir, as much as you please;..bate me too, if you feel inclined.
1820 M. Shelley Let. 29 Dec. (1980) I. 171 I am enclined to think that..it is by no means an inferior power to that of a printed poet.
1871 B. Jowett tr. Plato Dialogues I. 156 I wish Protagoras either to ask or answer as he is inclined.
1894 M. M. Dodge When Life is Young 145 Now that I am older grown, And do as I've a mind, When little lips ask, ‘Why?’—I'll own To answer I'm inclined.
1970 R. Harrison in J. R. Bellerby Factory Farming i. 14 The cubicle system..allows the animal freedom to move around or to rest in a bedded cubicle when it feels inclined.
1995 T. Parker Violence of our Lives ii. 55 One day she asked me if I'd go with her..and she said she would understand if I wasn't inclined.
2007 Utilitas Sept. 405 I am not entirely sure I have gotten Alastair's point exactly right, but if I have understood it, then I am inclined to disagree.
2. Having a tendency towards a particular physical condition, quality, action, or process; physically predisposed. Chiefly with to or infinitive.
ΘΚΠ
the world > existence and causation > existence > state or condition > tendency > [adjective] > inclined > to do something or towards some physical state
inclinedc1450
prone1561
subject1566
propense1568
inclininga1576
inclinable1590
partial1615
proclive1653
elective1796
c1450 (c1380) G. Chaucer House of Fame (Fairf. 16) (1878) l. 749 Euery Ryuer to the see Enclyned ys to goo by kynde.
1525 tr. H. von Brunschwig Noble Experyence Vertuous Handy Warke Surg. i. sig. M.iv Nature is inclyned to outdrawynge straunge thyngys [from the body].
1588 J. Read tr. F. Arcaeus Compend. Method f. 9 Hippocrates warneth that it shuld not be deferred vntil ye third day, especially if the constitucion of the aire be enclined to heat.
1614 G. Markham 2nd Bk. Eng. Husbandman ii. vii. 94 If you finde the weather enclined to drought and fairenesse, then you shall with all speede cut downe your Hay.
1671 L. Addison W. Barbary 113 Those that live in great Towns..are enclined to paleness, which may be imputed to their sedentariness, or want of motion.
1707 J. Mortimer Whole Art Husbandry 103 In wet Weather it [sc. barley] will be inclined to sprout or must.
1726 G. Leoni tr. L. B. Alberti Architecture I. 65/1 The Winds are naturally enclined to follow the Sun.
1839 Civil Engineer & Architect's Jrnl. 2 27/1 Stratford marshes, where the ground for a depth of eight feet is inclined to ‘spew up’.
1861 Amer. Agriculturist July 194/3 If they are inclined to barrenness encourage the development of fruit buds.
1925 Today's Housewife Feb. 16/3 When one is inclined to be stout, a straight-line tunic..is always a slenderizing style.
2004 G. Search in BBC Good Food Oct. (Delia's Kitchen Garden Suppl.) 9/2 Spinach is inclined to bolt, meaning it flowers and runs to seed prematurely.
3.
a. That leans toward or away from a given plane or direction, esp. the vertical or horizontal; sloping, slanting.
ΘΚΠ
the world > space > relative position > inclination > [adjective]
embelifc1400
inclining?c1400
oblique?a1425
inclinate?1440
hieldingc1480
inclined?a1500
bias1551
overthwart1594
sidelong1598
squinty1598
skew1609
traverse1609
skewed1611
obliquous1614
squint1703
inclinated1751
slanting1768
slanted1770
slant1776
aslant1791
diagonal1796
rakish1830
slantindicular1832
slantwise1856
slaunchways1913
slanty1928
?a1500 tr. Henri de Mondeville Surgery (Peterhouse) f. 26 (MED) Os Spatule..ys cleped of olde men homoplata, of þe whiche þe partie behynde ys enclined [Fr. s'encline] towarde þe rigge bone.
?1541 R. Copland Guy de Chauliac's Questyonary Cyrurgyens ii. sig. Givv From the nether parte it [sc. the heart] is enclyned [Fr. decline] a lytell towarde the left syde, to gyue place to the lyuer.
1677 R. Hooke Lampas 38 A plain sided Prisme, where the refracting sides are Perpendicular or equally inclined, but contrary ways to the Reflecting Superficies.
1690 P. Berault Logick i. 68 'Tis natural to men to have their face upright to Heaven, and to Beasts to have it inclined [Fr. courbez] towards the Ground.
1738 R. Smith Compl. Syst. Opticks II. iii. xv. 385 Let an inclined looking-glass, to reflect the picture upon the paper, be fixt over the table.
1799 H. Hunter tr. C. S. Sonnini Trav. Upper & Lower Egypt II. xxxvi. 339 A view in perspective, drawn by Mr. Dalton, of the space between the chamber of the tomb, and the great inclined gallery.
1821 W. M. Craig Lect. Drawing vii. 401 Turning the plate slowly round..in a somewhat inclined direction.
1878 M. Stokes Early Christian Archit. Ireland 3 The ancient features of the horizontal lintel and inclined sides are preserved in the doorways.
1933 Times 8 June 8/1 Motorists will be able to drive their motor-cars by means of an inclined road direct into the garage on the upper deck of the vessel.
1963 M. Malim Pagoda Tree xiii. 77 She was good at bull-board—a matter of lobbing little sacks of sand into numbered squares upon an inclined board.
2007 Sci. Amer. (U.K. ed.) Feb. 36/2 Stacked sets of inclined layering that geologists refer to as cross-stratification.
b. With to. Positioned so as to form an angle with something else; positioned so as to be slanted relative to something else.
ΘΚΠ
the world > space > relative position > inclination > [adjective] > placed at an angle
inclined1570
angulara1626
angled1833
1570 H. Billingsley tr. Euclid Elements Geom. xiii. f. 412 In like sort may we proue that the playne WCDI is in like sort inclined to the playne ABCD, as the playne BVZC is to the playne EBCF.
1665 Philos. Trans. (Royal Soc.) 1 38 He finds the said Circle inclined to the Ecliptique about 26. d. 30′. and the Nodes, where it cuts it, towards the beginning of Gemini and Sagittary.
1700 J. Flamsteed Let. 18 June in Corr. (1997) II. 829 That the Earths Axis is not allwayes inclined at the same Angle to the plane of the Ecliptick is a discovery wholly oweing to you.
1765 J. L. Cowley Theory of Perspective p. iv All lines, parallel to one another and to the horizon, although inclined to the table, or picture as it is now called, would constantly converge towards a point in the horizontal line.
1815 R. Bakewell Introd. Geol. (ed. 2) iii. 58 The sides of mountains which are most inclined to the horizon.
1840 D. Lardner Treat. Geom. iv. 39 The sides of the triangle will be inclined to MN at the same angles as those at which they are inclined to its parallel A.
1903 Official Gaz. (U.S. Patent Office) 24 Feb. 1737/2 A sewing-machine needle having a threading-slot leading into its eye, the plane of direction of said slot being inclined to the longitudinal axis of the needle.
1966 Adv. in Chem. Engin. 6 401 The droplet acquires the shape of an ellipsoid whose axes are permanently inclined relative to those of the tube.
2006 C. G. Fraser Cosmos iii. 15 The axes of rotation of the two spheres are inclined to each other at an angle of approximately 23 degrees.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > mental capacity > disposition or character > [adjective] > having specific disposition
hearteda1200
cheeredc1225
entechedc1374
tempered1390
disposedc1430
conditioneda1450
mindedc1487
conceited?1536
inclined1543
natured1552
humoured1566
mettled1576
digested1607
complexioned1643
dispositioned1646
complexionated1650
constitutioned1711
complexionate1750
temperamented-
1543 T. Chaloner tr. G. Cousin Office of Seruauntes sig. Aviiv But of his talke (as I aforesaide) is the surest coniecture taken, howe he is enclined.
1570 T. Tymme tr. A. Marlorat Catholike & Eccles. Expos. Mathewe (iii. 17) 56/1 The Greke woorde doth signifie a minde so inclined, that it hathe a singuler and ready good wyll and affection, separated from all anger and displeasure.
1583 P. Stubbes Second Pt. Anat. Abuses sig. I6v He that is borne vnder Cancer, shall be crabbed and angrie, bicause the crab fish is so inclined.
1600 R. Surflet tr. C. Estienne & J. Liébault Maison Rustique i. viii. 38 He shall know how euery moneth in the yeere will be inclined, by obseruing the inclination of the day of the Natiuitie and of the festiual daies following.
1641 E. Calver Passion & Discretion i. 40 When I was Youthfull how was I inclind? I then was heedlesse, ignorant, and nice.
1711 W. S. in ‘Dr. Saman’ tr. Aristotle's Last Legacy To Rdr. The Humours and Dispositions of the Parties, and how they are inclin'd.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, September 2016; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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adj.c1405