intrigue

in·trigue

Use intrigue in a sentence

noun

The definition of an intrigue is something that is done secretly through plotting.
An example of intrigue is the story of two famous lovers played out in a gossip magazine.

verb

Intrigue is defined as to do something that gets another person interested.
An example of intrigue is a man and woman having a conversation at a bar that makes them want to know more about each other.

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MLA Style

"intrigue." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 15 January 2019. <https://www.yourdictionary.com/Intrigue>.

APA Style

intrigue. (n.d.). Retrieved January 15th, 2019, from https://www.yourdictionary.com/Intrigue

intrigue

intransitive verb

-·trigued′, -·trigu′ing

to carry on a secret love affair
to plot or scheme secretly or underhandedly

Origin of intrigue

French intriguer from Italian intrigare from Classical Latin intricare: see intricate

to bring on, or get, by secret or underhanded plotting
to excite the interest or curiosity of; fascinate: the puzzle intrigued her
Archaic to trick or perplex
Obs. to entangle

an intriguing; secret or underhanded plotting
a secret or underhanded plot or scheme; machination
a secret love affair

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Link to this page

Cite this page

MLA Style

"intrigue." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 15 January 2019. <https://www.yourdictionary.com/Intrigue>.

APA Style

intrigue. (n.d.). Retrieved January 15th, 2019, from https://www.yourdictionary.com/Intrigue

intrigue

noun

a. A secret or underhand scheme; a plot.
b. The practice of or involvement in such schemes: seized the throne by intrigue.
A clandestine love affair.

verb

in·trigued, in·trigu·ing, in·trigues

verb

transitive

To arouse the interest or curiosity of: Hibernation has long intrigued biologists.
To effect or cause to be accepted or rejected by secret scheming or plotting: “Mr. Clay … was intrigued out of the Presidential nomination” ( Parke Godwin )

verb

intransitive

To engage in secret or underhand schemes; plot.

Origin of intrigue

From French intriguer to plot from Italian intrigare to plot from Latin intrīcāre to entangle ; see intricate.

Related Forms:

in·trigu′er
noun

Usage Note: The introduction of the verb intrigue to mean “to arouse the interest or curiosity of” was initially resisted by writers on usage as an unneeded French substitute for available English words such as interest, fascinate, or puzzle. Only 52 percent of the Usage Panel accepted this usage in 1968. Twenty years later, in 1988, 78 percent of the Usage Panel accepted it in the sentence The special-quota idea intrigues some legislators, who have asked a Washington think tank to evaluate it. By the 21st century, the use of intrigue as a verb had become completely unremarkable, and it is now firmly entrenched in the English lexicon.

THE AMERICAN HERITAGE® DICTIONARY OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE, FIFTH EDITION by the Editors of the American Heritage Dictionaries. Copyright © 2016, 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Link/Cite

Link to this page

Cite this page

MLA Style

"intrigue." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 15 January 2019. <https://www.yourdictionary.com/Intrigue>.

APA Style

intrigue. (n.d.). Retrieved January 15th, 2019, from https://www.yourdictionary.com/Intrigue

Noun

(plural intrigues)

A complicated or clandestine plot or scheme intended to effect some purpose by secret artifice; conspiracy; stratagem.
The plot of a play, poem or romance; the series of complications in which a writer involves their imaginary characters.
Clandestine intercourse between persons; illicit intimacy; a liaison.

Verb

(third-person singular simple present intrigues, present participle intriguing, simple past and past participle intrigued)

(intransitive) To conceive or carry out a secret plan intended to harm; to form a plot or scheme.
To arouse the interest of; to fascinate.
(intransitive) To have clandestine or illicit intercourse.
To fill with artifice and duplicity; to complicate.

Related terms

Origin

Borrowing from French intriguer, from Italian intricare, from Latin intrīcō (“I entangle, perplex, embarrass”).

See also: intrigué

English Wiktionary. Available under CC-BY-SA license.