tempt

From Middle English tempten, from Old French tempter (French: tenter), from Latin temptare, from tentare (“to handle, touch, try, test, tempt”), frequentative of tenere (“to hold”). Displaced native English costning (“temptation”).

• (Received Pronunciation, General American) IPA^(key): /tɛmpt/, /tɛmt/

• Audio (GA)

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• Rhymes: -ɛmpt, -ɛmt

tempt (third-person singular simple present tempts, present participle tempting, simple past and past participle tempted)

1. (transitive) To provoke someone to do wrong, especially by promising a reward; to entice.

   She tempted me to eat the apple.

2. (transitive) To attract; to allure.

   Its glossy skin tempted me.

3. (transitive) To provoke something; to court.

   It would be tempting fate.

• (provoke someone to do wrong): entice, fand, lure, pander, tease
• (attract; allure): beguile, entrance; see also Thesaurus:allure
• (provoke something): foment, urge; see also Thesaurus:incite

• tempt in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.
• tempt in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.
• tempt at OneLook Dictionary Search

tempt tr., 1st conj., pres. tempju, temp, tempj, past tempu

1. to gulp
2. to swill
3. to quaff