tempttempt /tempt/ ●●○ verb [transitive] 
The new program is designed to tempt young people into studying engineering.tempt somebody to do something It would take a lot of money to tempt me to quit this job.2to make someone want to have or do something, even though they know they really should not: If you leave valuables in your car it will tempt thieves.be tempted to do something I’m tempted to buy that dress.3tempt fate (also tempt providence British English) a)to do something that involves unnecessary risk and may cause serious problems: Fire officials said developers are tempting fate by building deep into the scenic canyons. b)to say too confidently that something will have a good result, that there will be no problems etc, when it is likely there will be problems
WORD ORIGINtempt
Origin:
1200-1300 Old French tempter, tenter, from Latin temptare, tentare ‘to feel, try, tempt’VERB TABLE
tempt
| Simple Form | ||
| Present | I, you, we, they | tempt |
| he, she, it | tempts | |
| Past | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | tempted |
| Present perfect | I, you, we, they | have tempted |
| he, she, it | has tempted | |
| Past perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | had tempted |
| Future | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will tempt |
| Future perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will have tempted |
| Continuous Form | ||
| Present | I | am tempting |
| he, she, it | is tempting | |
| you, we, they | are tempting | |
| Past | I, he, she, it | was tempting |
| you, we, they | were tempting | |
| Present perfect | I, you, we, they | have been tempting |
| he, she, it | has been tempting | |
| Past perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | had been tempting |
| Future | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will be tempting |
| Future perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will have been tempting |
EXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
- Don't be tempted into betting money on the horses.
- I'm tempted to take a nice long vacation before I start the new job.
- Most infomercials try to tempt television viewers into buying beauty aids, kitchen gadgets and other products.
- The arrangement tempts employees to win contracts even by illegal means.
- The club is giving away free T-shirts in order to tempt people to join.
- The Parisian shops have things to tempt even the strongest of wills.
- Too many investors are tempted by the idea of making a quick fortune.
- Travel companies tempt people with special offers.
- As a hermit living in a cave, he refused the flock of naked women sent to tempt him.
- Donors now have economic control; they will always be tempted to use the power that this control brings.
- If an estate car tempts you, it could pay to choose one with the option of an extra row of seats.
- Rising equity prices hurt bonds by tempting some investors to shop for better returns in the stock market.
- She had been tempted to cut out the photographs and keep them, but she hadn't.
- This is clearly cumbersome and possibly unsatisfactory and many users might be tempted to abandon the process before achieving their ends.
Longman Language Activatorto make someone like or want to do something
· The drug's low price attracts school- and college-age users.attract somebody to something · What attracts me to the job is the salary and the possibility of foreign travel.attract interest/support/attention etc · Politicians still risk having affairs, knowing the massive media attention they attract.
to make someone want to have or do something, even though they know they really should not: · The Parisian shops have things to tempt even the strongest of wills.· Too many investors are tempted by the idea of making a quick fortune.tempt somebody into (doing) something: · Most infomercials try to tempt television viewers into buying beauty aids, kitchen gadgets and other products.be tempted to do something: · I'm tempted to take a nice long vacation before I start the new job.
to attract someone to buy a particular product, support a particular political party etc, by making it seem very attractive - used especially in order to show disapproval: · The government has been accused of bringing down taxes simply as a means of seducing voters.· Hunt was seduced by the lure of fame and show business.seduce somebody into doing something: · TV advertisements seduce people into buying a particular kind of chocolate bar, washing powder or car.
to persuade someone by making something seem very good to make someone want to do something by making it seem enjoyable, exciting etc: · Travel companies tempt people with special offers.tempt somebody to do something: · The club is giving away free T-shirts in order to tempt people to join.· The arrangement tempts employees to win contracts even by illegal means.tempt somebody into doing something: · Don't be tempted into betting money on the horses.
to persuade someone to go somewhere or to do something, especially something which they should not do, or something that might harm them: lure somebody into/to/away etc: · The boy apparently lured the girl into his bedroom and attacked her.lure somebody into doing something: · Peasants were lured into joining the People's Army by the promises of large sums of money for their families.
to offer someone something they want in order to persuade them to do something: · The banks are offering special low rates in an attempt to entice prospective customers.entice somebody to do something: · The ads entice young people to smoke.entice somebody into doing something: · The company hopes to entice shareholders into agreeing to a merger.
to do something that involves unnecessary risks to stupidly do something that is almost certain to be dangerous or cause trouble: · Anyone who buys second-hand car tires is just asking for trouble.· You need to have a good knowledge of the industry before you buy stocks, or you're asking for trouble.
especially written if you invite trouble, criticism, attack etc, you do something that seems likely to cause you trouble or that encourages people to criticize you, attack you etc: · If you don't maintain your car regularly, you're just inviting trouble.· Not to provide aid will just invite further catastrophe in the area.
informal to do something that involves a risk of failure, because you have been successful when you have done it before: · I think I'd be pushing my luck if I asked him to babysit again on such short notice.· Twelve months later, the captain of Sea Rover pushed his luck once too often.
to do something that involves unnecessary risk, because you are too confident that there will be no problems: · It would be tempting fate to travel without a spare wheel.· By building houses in the steep canyons, Californians are tempting fate in the form of mudslides and fires.
to stupidly take a risk, especially by doing something or getting involved in a situation that is likely to have a very unpleasant result: · The government was warned it was playing with fire by arresting so-called "separatist" leaders.· Anyone who gets involved with a married man is playing with fire.
COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES Sabine was sorely tempted to throw her drink in his face.COLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSADVERB
Sabine was sorely tempted to throw her drink in his face.· Alyssia refused to give in to any urge to stare at Piers, though she was sorely tempted.· I was sorely tempted to show him the way to the phone booth, but I am not a vindictive man.
NOUN· In order to tempt investors, governments have therefore taken to offering sweeteners with their privatization offers.
· In order to tempt investors, governments have therefore taken to offering sweeteners with their privatization offers.· Rising equity prices hurt bonds by tempting some investors to shop for better returns in the stock market.
VERB· The Department of Industry is trying to tempt more companies to enter this area.· Along the way, devils battle the angels to try to tempt the shepherds from their journey.· All manner of villain tries to tempt him, divert him, or separate him from his small savings.· She's tried to tempt her back into the woods, but with little success.· I was trying to tempt her to take part in a so-called vox-pop.
PHRASES FROM THE ENTRY
1to try to persuade someone to do something by making it seem attractivetempt somebody into doing something- By building houses in the steep canyons, Californians are tempting fate in the form of mudslides and fires.
- Fire officials said developers are tempting fate by building deep into the scenic canyons.
- It would be tempting fate to travel without a spare wheel.
- His luck was in, at least for the moment, but he had already decided not to tempt fate again.
- It was tempting fate to run the new car in public-but McLaren had thought of that.
- Robbie longed to ask, but didn't dare tempt fate.
- They had apparently felt as if a burden had been lifted from them and why tempt fate by attempting to get her back?
- With a major typhoon hovering over the horizon, it would have been tempting fate unnecessarily.
The new program is designed to tempt young people into studying engineering.tempt somebody to do something It would take a lot of money to tempt me to quit this job.2to make someone want to have or do something, even though they know they really should not: If you leave valuables in your car it will tempt thieves.be tempted to do something I’m tempted to buy that dress.3tempt fate (also tempt providence British English) a)to do something that involves unnecessary risk and may cause serious problems: Fire officials said developers are tempting fate by building deep into the scenic canyons. b)to say too confidently that something will have a good result, that there will be no problems etc, when it is likely there will be problems