indulge-

An excessive indulgence or inability to resist the gratifications of one's own appetites and desires.

1. To yield to the desires and whims that a person has; especially, to an excessive degree: Shirley simply had to indulge her craving for chocolate by eating too much of it.
2. To allow oneself an unrestrained gratification: Henry indulged himself with idle daydreams of how successful he would be after he completed his college degree.
3. Etymology: "to yield to the wishes of; to humor"; probably, in part, a back formation from indulgent, indulgence; and, in part, borrowed from Latin indulgere, "to be kind, to yield, to bestow a favor, to concede, to allow". © ALL rights are reserved.

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1. Having yielded to the desires and whims of something; especially, to an excessive degree.
2. Yielded to; gratified: "So many people indulged their craving for chocolate at the party to such a degree that there was nothing left for any late comers."
3. Unrestrained gratification: "She indulged herself with idle daydreams."
4. In the Roman Catholic Church, having granted an ecclesiastical indulgence or dispensation for the remission of temporal punishment which is still due for a sin that has been sacramentally absolved.

1. An inability to resist the gratification of whims and desires.
2. The act of gratifying or yielding to a wish.

1. The behavior or attitude of people who allow themselves to do whatever they want to do or who allow other people to do what they want to do.
2. The act of doing something that a person enjoys but that is usually thought of as wrong or unhealthy: "He had the unhealthy indulgence of over eating chocolate bars."
3. Something that is done or enjoyed as a special pleasure: "For our anniversary, we allowed ourselves the indulgence of an elegant dinner at our favorite restaurant."
4. In the Roman Catholic Church, remission, by those authorized to do so, of the temporal punishment still due to sin after sacramental absolution; either in this world or in purgatory; also, a relaxation, in a person's favor, of a particular rule of ecclesiastical law; properly called a dispensation.

It includes a granting by the pope of partial remission of time to be spent in purgatory or of some other consequence of a sin. In the Middle Ages, a practice of selling indulgences developed and increased.

The behavior or attitude of people who have allowed themselves to do what they wanted to do or who have allowed other people to do whatever they wanted.

1. Gratification; as the indulgency of lust or of an excessive appetite.
2. Favor granted; liberality; gratification.
3. Doing what a person's appetites, desires, passions, or will to act or operate indicate.

1. Characteristic of a person showing leniency to the actions of someone; permissive; understanding: On Jane's 10th birthday, her parents were indulgent and allowed her to invite a lot of friends for a party and eat lots of her favourite ice cream!
2. A reference to being tolerant and generally allowing people to have what they want: Indulgent parents must be careful not to allow their children too much freedom and risk spoiling them!
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Go to this Word A Day Revisited Index
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A pleonasm or a repetition of two words both of which mean yielding to the wishes, humor, or appetites of those under one's care; compliant; not opposing or restraining; tolerant; mild; favorable; not severe; as, an indulgent parent.

In a manner that shows, or is characterized by, or is given to being lenient.

1. Someone who yields to the desires and whims of some action; especially, to an excessive degree.
2. Anyone who allows himself or herself unrestrained gratification.

To allow oneself or someone else to experience something considered enjoyable, even to an excess.

1. Great self-denial; especially, refraining from worldly pleasures or excesses in living, eating, etc.
2. Asceticism as a form of religious life; usually conducted in a community under a common rule and characterized by celibacy, poverty, and obedience.

1. Characterized by strictness, severity, or restraint.
2. Controlling one's desires; such as, by limiting the consumption of food, drinking, or excessive life styles.

1. To indulge (a desire, craving, or habit) to excess: "She was overindulging her fondness for eating great amounts of food."
2. To allow someone to do or to have whatever he or she wants to do to an excessive degree.
3. To indulge (a person or people) excessively: "The parents are known to overindulge their little girl by letting her do anything she desires or having whatever she wants."