Meaning of "tempt" in the English dictionary

ETYMOLOGY OF THE WORD TEMPT

From Old French tempter, from Latin temptāre to test.

Etymology is the study of the origin of words and their changes in structure and significance.

PRONUNCIATION OF TEMPT

tempt  [tɛmpt]

GRAMMATICAL CATEGORY OF TEMPT

Tempt is a verb.

The verb is the part of the sentence that is conjugated and expresses action and state of being.

See the conjugation of the verb tempt in English.

WHAT DOES TEMPT MEAN IN ENGLISH?

Temptation

Temptation is the desire to perform an action that one may enjoy immediately or in the short term but will probably later regret for various reasons: legal, social, psychological, health-related, economic, etc. In the context of religion, temptation is the inclination to sin. Temptation also describes the coaxing or inducing a person into committing such an act, by manipulation or otherwise of curiosity, desire or fear of loss. More informally, temptation may be used to mean "the state of being attracted and enticed" without anything to do with moral, ethical, or ideological valuation; for example, one may say that a piece of food looks "tempting" even though eating it would result in no negative consequences.

Definition of tempt in the English dictionary

The first definition of tempt in the dictionary is to attempt to persuade or entice to do something, esp something morally wrong or unwise. Other definition of tempt is to allure, invite, or attract. Tempt is also to give rise to a desire in to do something; dispose.

CONJUGATION OF THE VERB TO TEMPT

PRESENT

Present

I tempt

you tempt

he/she/it tempts

we tempt

you tempt

they tempt

Present continuous

I am tempting

you are tempting

he/she/it is tempting

we are tempting

you are tempting

they are tempting

Present perfect

I have tempted

you have tempted

he/she/it has tempted

we have tempted

you have tempted

they have tempted

Present perfect continuous

I have been tempting

you have been tempting

he/she/it has been tempting

we have been tempting

you have been tempting

they have been tempting

Present tense is used to refer to circumstances that exist at the present time or over a period that includes the present time. The present perfect refers to past events, although it can be considered to denote primarily the resulting present situation rather than the events themselves.

PAST

Past

I tempted

you tempted

he/she/it tempted

we tempted

you tempted

they tempted

Past continuous

I was tempting

you were tempting

he/she/it was tempting

we were tempting

you were tempting

they were tempting

Past perfect

I had tempted

you had tempted

he/she/it had tempted

we had tempted

you had tempted

they had tempted

Past perfect continuous

I had been tempting

you had been tempting

he/she/it had been tempting

we had been tempting

you had been tempting

they had been tempting

Past tense forms express circumstances existing at some time in the past,

FUTURE

Future

I will tempt

you will tempt

he/she/it will tempt

we will tempt

you will tempt

they will tempt

Future continuous

I will be tempting

you will be tempting

he/she/it will be tempting

we will be tempting

you will be tempting

they will be tempting

Future perfect

I will have tempted

you will have tempted

he/she/it will have tempted

we will have tempted

you will have tempted

they will have tempted

Future perfect continuous

I will have been tempting

you will have been tempting

he/she/it will have been tempting

we will have been tempting

you will have been tempting

they will have been tempting

The future is used to express circumstances that will occur at a later time.

CONDITIONAL

Conditional

I would tempt

you would tempt

he/she/it would tempt

we would tempt

you would tempt

they would tempt

Conditional continuous

I would be tempting

you would be tempting

he/she/it would be tempting

we would be tempting

you would be tempting

they would be tempting

Conditional perfect

I would have tempt

you would have tempt

he/she/it would have tempt

we would have tempt

you would have tempt

they would have tempt

Conditional perfect continuous

I would have been tempting

you would have been tempting

he/she/it would have been tempting

we would have been tempting

you would have been tempting

they would have been tempting

Conditional or "future-in-the-past" tense refers to hypothetical or possible actions.

IMPERATIVE

Imperative

you tempt
we let´s tempt
you tempt

The imperative is used to form commands or requests.

NONFINITE VERB FORMS

Infinitive

to tempt

Past participle

tempted

Present Participle

tempting

Infinitive shows the action beyond temporal perspective. The present participle or gerund shows the action during the session. The past participle shows the action after completion.

SYNONYMS OF «TEMPT»

The following words have a similar or identical meaning as «tempt» and belong to the same grammatical category.

synonyms of tempt

allure · attract · bait · coax · dare · decoy · draw · entice · fly in the face of · inveigle · invite · lead on · lure · provoke · risk · seduce · test · try · woo

TRANSLATION OF TEMPT

Find out the translation of tempt to 25 languages with our English multilingual translator.

The translations of tempt from English to other languages presented in this section have been obtained through automatic statistical translation; where the essential translation unit is the word «tempt» in English.

• Translator English - Chinese: 诱使
• Translator English - Spanish: tentar
• English: tempt
• Translator English - Hindi: लुभाना
• Translator English - Arabic: يُغْرِي
• Translator English - Russian: искушать
• Translator English - Portuguese: tentar
• Translator English - Bengali: প্রলুব্ধ করা
• Translator English - French: tenter
• Translator English - Malay: Menggoda
• Translator English - German: verleiten
• Translator English - Japanese: 誘惑する
• Translator English - Korean: 유혹하다
• Translator English - Javanese: Nggodha
• Translator English - Vietnamese: cám dỗ
• Translator English - Tamil: மயக்கு
• Translator English - Marathi: परीक्षा
• Translator English - Turkish: ayartmak
• Translator English - Italian: tentare
• Translator English - Polish: skusić
• Translator English - Ukrainian: спокушати
• Translator English - Romanian: a tenta
• Translator English - Greek: δελεάζω
• Translator English - Afrikaans: versoek
• Translator English - Swedish: fresta
• Translator English - Norwegian: friste

10 QUOTES WITH «TEMPT»

Famous quotes and sentences with the word tempt.

1

Saxby Chambliss

Japan's inexplicable lack of response to even consider a move to re-open their market to U.S. beef will sorely tempt economic trade action against Japan.

2

Henry B. Eyring

With the help of the Holy Ghost, we can watch over ourselves. We can pray to recognize and reject the first thoughts of sin. We can pray to recognize a warning not to speak words which would hurt or tempt someone else. And we can, when we must, pray for the humility and the faith to repent.

3

Catherine the Great

For to tempt and to be tempted are things very nearly allied - whenever feeling has anything to do in the matter, no sooner is it excited than we have already gone vastly farther than we are aware of.

4

Ethan Hawke

When you start becoming really successful, the demons start to tempt you - the demons of vanity and self importance, drug abuse, the feelings of fraudulence. But, it's also a thrill. That's what I found weird.

5

George Savile

The vanity of teaching doth oft tempt a man to forget that he is a blockhead.

6

Paul Schneider

What the entertainment industry can do is tempt you into making stupid mistakes, but the only tool that they have to tempt you is money. So if you're okay saying no to money, then you can say no to a lot of things that you might be embarrassed of later.

7

Richard G. Scott

There are powerful emotions that bring two people together in wonderful harmony in a marriage. Satan knows this, and would tempt you to try these emotions outside of marriage. Do not stir emotions meant to be used only in marriage.

8

W. Clement Stone

When you do the wrong thing, knowing it is wrong, you do so because you haven't developed the habit of effectively controlling or neutralizing strong inner urges that tempt you, or because you have established the wrong habit and don't know how to eliminate them effectively.

9

Sofia Vassilieva

There are scripts when you fall so much in love with your character. And if you are lucky and offered this part, you should not tempt your fate and go to the greatest extent to be/to play this character. If you have an opportunity to do that and you do not, it's shameful.

10

Otis Williams

Bill Mitchell said he really liked it. But when he asked the other four their opinions, we all took one look at ourselves in our raggedy long winter coats and cracked up. We knew we weren't likely to tempt anyone or anything, but what the hell, it was as good a name as any.

10 ENGLISH BOOKS RELATING TO «TEMPT»

Discover the use of tempt in the following bibliographical selection. Books relating to tempt and brief extracts from same to provide context of its use in English literature.

Tempt the Stars: A Cassie Palmer Novel

Being a goddess is a lot less fun than you might think.

Karen Chance, 2013

Don't Tempt Me

Simon Quinn can have any woman he wants, but he prefers them jaded, worldly, and free of illusions.

Sylvia Day, 2008

Tempt Me at Twilight

Engaged to the very sensible Michael Bayning, Poppy Hathaway is content with her lot - having longed for a life of normality.

Lisa Kleypas, 2010

Because You Tempt Me: Because You Are Mine Series #1

Part One of an addictive eight-part serial novel for devotees of Fifty Shades of Grey and the first Crossfire novel, Bared to You.

Beth Kery, 2012

Tempt Me Tonight

He was her first: the first man she longed for, the first man she truly desired.

Toni Blake, 2009

Tempt Me at Midnight (Mills & Boon Kimani)

Lexi Austin is living a fantasy.

Maureen Smith, 2013

To Tempt a Wilde

On the run for two years, Althea Hudson believes she has found a safe haven at a Wyoming ranch owned by three brothers, where she falls for Nathan Wilde, who isn't prepared for the feelings he is having for his new ranch hand.

Kimberly Kaye Terry, 2011

Tempt: Cupcakes to Excite

Tempt: Cupcakes to Excite brings to mind fun and colourful little cakes in attractive cases with beautiful toppings. In this book, Betty Saw, Malaysia's favourite food columnist, presents a decadent serving of 75 recipes.

Betty Saw, 2005

To Tempt a Wolf

To Tempt a Wolf Kate Steele There are wolves in Whispering Springs?

Kate Steele, 2006

Tempt Me, Taste Me, Touch Me

California wine country is a world of sensual delights -- the tantalizing kiss of sunlight . . . the luscious decadence of gourmet cuisine . . . the slow burn of wine that warms from within . . . and sinfully sexy men.

Bella Andre, 2007

10 NEWS ITEMS WHICH INCLUDE THE TERM «TEMPT»

Find out what the national and international press are talking about and how the term tempt is used in the context of the following news items.

Local producers set to tempt taste buds at Cosford Food Festival

Over 70 local producers from across the Midlands will be tempting visitors with a wide range of exquisite fresh, organic and handmade produce not available ... «shropshirelive.com, Jul 15»

7 alluring stocks tempt investors to peril

Frontier, for instance, is now yielding 8.5% – making it even more tempting. But beware the Siren's Song of dividends. For one thing – not only can the stocks fall ... «USA TODAY, Jul 15»

Staff frustrated as Spalding tempt away Moreman

Staff frustrated as Spalding tempt away Moreman. Cobblers V Stoke City development team. Josh Moreman. ENGNNL00120130730184636. 10:43 Monday 29 ... «Thame Today, Jun 15»

Greece, creditors tempt fate by testing deadlines -US Treasury's Lew

WASHINGTON, June 26 Greece and its creditors are playing with fire by repeatedly running into deadlines over agreements to extend bailout loans, U.S. ... «Reuters, Jun 15»

No fair, China: Trying to tempt Muslims from fasting during Ramadan …

No fair, China: Trying to tempt Muslims from fasting during Ramadan — with beer. PRI's The World. June 26, 2015 · 2:30 PM EDT. By Kuang Keng Kuek Ser ... «PRI, Jun 15»

Emerging-Market Cocos Don't Tempt Pimco

As banks world-wide rush to sell a new type of high-yield hybrid security to bolster their cash buffers in response to tightening global standards, one of the ... «Wall Street Journal, May 15»

Movies may tempt teens to drink

More than four in ten British 15-year-olds say their drinking is interfering with their life. But not all teens face the same alcohol risks, a new study finds. Those who ... «Science News for Students, Apr 15»

Figo to tempt CONCACAF voters with cash boost plan

MIAMI FIFA presidential hopeful Luis Figo will travel to the Caribbean this week hoping to tempt voters in the CONCACAF region with a plan to distribute more ... «Reuters UK, Apr 15»

Russian rates tempt the carry traders

The Russian central bank has interest rates at 14 per cent — tempting when Switzerland is selling new paper at a negative yield. Moscow's 10-year bond yield is ... «Financial Times, Apr 15»

Tempt In-Store Productions Infuses Retail Expertise and Vegas …

Tempt is part of Quad/Graphics' total in-store marketing solutions offering with ... Tempt delivers in-store destinations that build brand value and enhance the ... «MarketWatch, Mar 15»