indulge Meaning, Definition & Usage

verb give free rein to
- The writer indulged in metaphorical language
verb yield (to); give satisfaction to
pander; gratify.
verb enjoy to excess
luxuriate.
- She indulges in ice cream
verb treat with excessive indulgence
featherbed; pamper; cosset; cocker; mollycoddle; spoil; baby; coddle.
- grandparents often pamper the children
- Let's not mollycoddle our students!

L. indulgere to be kind or tender to one; cf. OIr. dilgud, equiv. to L. remissio, OIr. dligeth, equiv. to L. lex, Goth. dulgs debt.

imperfect & past participle Indulged ; present participle & verbal noun Indulging

To be complacent toward; to give way to; not to oppose or restrain; (a) when said of a habit, desire, etc.: to give free course to; to give one's self up to; as, to indulge sloth, pride, selfishness, or inclinations; (b) when said of a person: to yield to the desire of; to gratify by compliance; to humor; to withhold restraint from; as, to indulge children in their caprices or willfulness; to indulge one's self with a rest or in pleasure.
Hope in another life implies that we indulge ourselves in the gratifications of this very sparingly. Atterbury.
To grant as by favor; to bestow in concession, or in compliance with a wish or request.
Persuading us that something must be indulged to public manners. Jer. Taylor.

Yet, yet a moment, one dim ray of light Indulge, dread Chaos, and eternal Night! Pope.
✍ It is remarked by Johnson, that if the matter of indulgence is a single thing, it has with before it; if it is a habit, it has in; as, he indulged himself with a glass of wine or a new book; he indulges himself in idleness or intemperance. See Gratify.

To indulge one's self; to gratify one's tastes or desires; esp., to give one's self up (to); to practice a forbidden or questionable act without restraint; -- followed by in, but formerly, also, by to. "Willing to indulge in easy vices." Johnson.