Advertisement
indulge (v.)
formerly also endulge, 1630s, "to grant as a favor;" 1650s, "to treat with unearned favor" (in reference both to persons and desires), a back-formation from indulgence (q.v.), or directly from Latin indulgere "be complaisant, be indulgent, yield; give oneself up to." Related: Indulged; indulging; indulgingly.
Entries linking to indulge
indulgence (n.)mid-14c., in the Church sense, "a freeing from temporal punishment for sin, remission from punishment for sin that remains due after absolution," from Old French indulgence or directly from Latin indulgentia "complaisance, a yielding; fondness, tenderness, affection; remission," from indulgentem (nominative indulgens) "indulgent, kind, tender, fond," present participle of indulgere "be kind; yield, concede, be complaisant; give oneself up to, be addicted," a word of uncertain origin. It is evidently a compound, and the second element appears to be from PIE root *dlegh- "to engage oneself, be or become fixed." The first element could be in- "in" for a sense of "let someone be engaged" in something, or in- "not" for a total sense of "not be hard toward" someone.
Sense of "leniency, forbearance of restraint or control of another, gratification of desire or humor" is attested from late 14c. That of "yielding to one's inclinations" (technically self-indulgence) in English is from 1630s. In British history, Indulgence also refers to grants of certain liberties to Nonconformists under Charles II and James II, as special favors rather than legal rights. The sale of indulgences in the original Church sense was done at times merely to raise money and was widely considered corrupt; the one in 1517 helped to spark the Protestant revolt in Germany.
Sense of "leniency, forbearance of restraint or control of another, gratification of desire or humor" is attested from late 14c. That of "yielding to one's inclinations" (technically self-indulgence) in English is from 1630s. In British history, Indulgence also refers to grants of certain liberties to Nonconformists under Charles II and James II, as special favors rather than legal rights. The sale of indulgences in the original Church sense was done at times merely to raise money and was widely considered corrupt; the one in 1517 helped to spark the Protestant revolt in Germany.
*dlegh- Proto-Indo-European root found in Celtic, Germanic, Slavic, and possibly Latin, meaning "to engage oneself, be or become fixed."
It forms all or part of: indulge; indulgence; play; pledge; plight (v.) "to pledge;" replevin.
It is the hypothetical source of/evidence for its existence is provided by: Sanskrit drmha-, drhya- "to fix, make firm;" Old Avestan derez- "fetter;" Gaulish delgu "to hold," Middle Welsh dala "to hold," Old Breton delgim "to hold;" Old Saxon plegan "vouch for," Gothic tulgjan "to fasten."
It forms all or part of: indulge; indulgence; play; pledge; plight (v.) "to pledge;" replevin.
It is the hypothetical source of/evidence for its existence is provided by: Sanskrit drmha-, drhya- "to fix, make firm;" Old Avestan derez- "fetter;" Gaulish delgu "to hold," Middle Welsh dala "to hold," Old Breton delgim "to hold;" Old Saxon plegan "vouch for," Gothic tulgjan "to fasten."
Share indulge
‘cite’
Page URL:
https://www.etymonline.com/word/indulge
HTML Link:
<a href="https://www.etymonline.com/word/indulge">Etymology of indulge by etymonline</a>
APA style:
Harper, D. (n.d.). Etymology of indulge. Online Etymology Dictionary. Retrieved $(datetime), from https://www.etymonline.com/word/indulge
Chicago style:
Harper Douglas, “Etymology of indulge,” Online Etymology Dictionary, accessed $(datetime), https://www.etymonline.com/word/indulge.
MLA style:
Harper, Douglas. “Etymology of indulge.” Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com/word/indulge. Accessed $(datetimeMla).
IEEE style:
D. Harper. “Etymology of indulge.” Online Etymology Dictionary. https://www.etymonline.com/word/indulge (accessed $(datetime)).
Advertisement
Advertisement
Definitions of indulge
indulge (v.)
give free rein to;
The writer indulged in metaphorical language
Dictionary entries near indulge
inductance
inductee
induction
inductive
inductor
indulge
indulgence
indulgent
indurate
induration
Indus
