Encourage Definition

ĕn-kûrĭj, -kŭr-

encouraged, encourages, encouraging

verb

encouraged, encourages, encouraging

To give courage, hope, or confidence to; embolden; hearten.

Webster's New World

To give support to; be favorable to; foster; help.

Webster's New World

To stimulate; spur.

Burning the field to encourage new plant growth.

American Heritage

To mentally support; to motivate, give courage, hope or spirit.

I encouraged him during his race.

Wiktionary

To spur on, strongly recommend.

We encourage the use of bicycles in the town centre.

Wiktionary

Synonyms:

Antonyms:

Origin of Encourage

Middle English encoragen, from Anglo-Norman encoragier, from Old French encoragier from en- +‎ corage "courage". Displaced native Middle English belden, bielden (“to encourage”) (from Old English bieldan (“to encourage”)), Middle English bealden, balden (“to encourage”) (from Old English bealdian (“to encourage, make bold”)), Middle English herten (“to encourage, enhearten”) (from Old English hiertan, hyrtan (“to enhearten”)), Old English elnian (“to encourage, strengthen”).

From Wiktionary
Middle English encouragen from Old French encoragier en- causative pref. en–¹ corage courage courage

From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition