Library / English Dictionary

INCUR

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

Irregular inflected forms: incurred    , incurring   

 I. (verb) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Receive a specified treatment (abstract)

Example:

I got nothing but trouble for my good intentions

Synonyms:

find; get; incur; obtain; receive

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Hypernyms (to "incur" is one way to...):

change (undergo a change; become different in essence; losing one's or its original nature)

Verb group:

acquire; get (come into the possession of something concrete or abstract)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "incur"):

take (ascertain or determine by measuring, computing or take a reading from a dial)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s

Sense 2

Meaning:

Make oneself subject to; bring upon oneself; become liable to

Example:

People who smoke incur a great danger to their health

Classified under:

Verbs of being, having, spatial relations

Hypernyms (to "incur" is one way to...):

subject (cause to experience or suffer or make liable or vulnerable to)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "incur"):

run (be affected by; be subjected to)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Derivation:

incurrence (the act of incurring (making yourself subject to something undesirable))

incurring (acquiring or coming into something (usually undesirable))

incursion (the mistake of incurring liability or blame)

Credits

 Context examples: 

It was thought that she could hardly live a few hours, but it would be a great consolation to her to see an English doctor, and, if I would only return, etc. The good Steiler assured me in a postscript that he would himself look upon my compliance as a very great favour, since the lady absolutely refused to see a Swiss physician, and he could not but feel that he was incurring a great responsibility.

(The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

A chronic, pathological complication associated with diabetes mellitus, where nerve damages are incurred due to diabetic microvascular injury involving small blood vessels that supply these nerves, resulting in peripheral and/or autonomic nerve dysfunction.

(Diabetic Neuropathy, NCI Thesaurus)

At last, I fixed upon a resolution, for which it is probable I may incur some censure, and not unjustly; for I confess I owe the preserving of mine eyes, and consequently my liberty, to my own great rashness and want of experience; because, if I had then known the nature of princes and ministers, which I have since observed in many other courts, and their methods of treating criminals less obnoxious than myself, I should, with great alacrity and readiness, have submitted to so easy a punishment.

(Gulliver's Travels into several remote nations of the world, by Jonathan Swift)

“Alas! lady,” Alleyne answered, I know well the great honor that you have done me in deeming me worthy to wait upon so renowned a knight, yet I am so conscious of my own weakness that I scarce dare incur duties which I might be so ill-fitted to fulfil.

(The White Company, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

A chronic, pathological complication associated with diabetes mellitus, where retinal damages are incurred due to microaneurysms in the vasculature of the retina, progressively leading to abnormal blood vessel growth, and swelling and leaking of fluid from blood vessels, resulting in vision loss or blindness.

(Diabetic Retinopathy, NCI Thesaurus)

The housekeeper and her husband were both of that decent phlegmatic order of people, to whom one may at any time safely communicate a remarkable piece of news without incurring the danger of having one's ears pierced by some shrill ejaculation, and subsequently stunned by a torrent of wordy wonderment.

(Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë)

'This young gentleman is blessed, in a peculiar way, with every thing the heart of mortal can most desire,—splendid property, noble kindred, and extensive patronage. Yet in spite of all these temptations, let me warn my cousin Elizabeth, and yourself, of what evils you may incur by a precipitate closure with this gentleman's proposals, which, of course, you will be inclined to take immediate advantage of.'

(Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen)

Alternatively, you may receive a tax bill triggered by an error your accountant made but that you must pay immediately or else incur penalties.

(AstrologyZone.com, by Susan Miller)

He had striven to help the unfortunate Harrison at the risk of incurring Wolf Larsen’s anger.

(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)

Suffice it to observe, that it was a masterpiece of eloquence; and that those passages in which he more particularly traced his own successful career to its source, and warned the younger portion of his auditory from the shoals of ever incurring pecuniary liabilities which they were unable to liquidate, brought a tear into the manliest eye present.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)