Library / English Dictionary

URGE

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 I. (noun) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

A strong restless desire

Example:

why this urge to travel?

Synonyms:

itch; urge

Classified under:

Nouns denoting feelings and emotions

Hypernyms ("urge" is a kind of...):

desire (the feeling that accompanies an unsatisfied state)

Sense 2

Meaning:

An instinctive motive

Example:

profound religious impulses

Synonyms:

impulse; urge

Classified under:

Nouns denoting goals

Hypernyms ("urge" is a kind of...):

motivation; motive; need (the psychological feature that arouses an organism to action toward a desired goal; the reason for the action; that which gives purpose and direction to behavior)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "urge"):

abience ((psychology) an urge to withdraw or avoid a situation or an object)

adience ((psychology) an urge to accept or approach a situation or an object)

death instinct; death wish; Thanatos ((psychoanalysis) an unconscious urge to die)

itchy feet; wanderlust (very strong or irresistible impulse to travel)

 II. (verb) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Force or impel in an indicated direction

Example:

I urged him to finish his studies

Synonyms:

exhort; press; urge; urge on

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

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

advise; counsel; rede (give advice to)

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

hurry; rush (urge to an unnatural speed)

bear on; push (press, drive, or impel (someone) to action or completion of an action)

advocate; preach (speak, plead, or argue in favor of)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s somebody to INFINITIVE

Sentence examples:

Sam cannot urge Sue

They urge him to write the letter

Derivation:

urgent (compelling immediate action)

urging (a verbalization that encourages you to attempt something)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Spur on or encourage especially by cheers and shouts

Example:

The crowd cheered the demonstrating strikers

Synonyms:

barrack; cheer; exhort; inspire; pep up; root on; urge; urge on

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

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

encourage (inspire with confidence; give hope or courage to)

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

cheerlead (act as a cheerleader in a sports event)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s somebody

Sentence example:

They urge him to write the letter

Derivation:

urging (the act of earnestly supporting or encouraging)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Push for something

Example:

The travel agent recommended strongly that we not travel on Thanksgiving Day

Synonyms:

advocate; recommend; urge

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

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

advise; propose; suggest (make a proposal, declare a plan for something)

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

prescribe (recommend as beneficial)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something
Somebody ----s that CLAUSE

Derivation:

urgency (insistent solicitation and entreaty)

Credits

 Context examples: 

Johansen, however, continued violently to urge him on to the completion of his task.

(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)

The man was about to urge them on, when he checked himself, roused up with an effort, and looked around.

(Love of Life and Other Stories, by Jack London)

Fear urged him to go back, but growth drove him on.

(White Fang, by Jack London)

I am not saying you will have difficulties, but if you do, Mars will urge you to deal directly with it.

(AstrologyZone.com, by Susan Miller)

“My dear Micawber!” urged his wife.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

I long to make apologies, excuses, to urge something for myself.

(Emma, by Jane Austen)

It urges countries to assess impacts, share antivenom technology, support research on new medical tools, and educate health workers about how to respond.

(Snakebite resolution set for Health Assembly approval, SciDev.Net)

Urged by this view, I refused, and I did right in refusing, to create a companion for the first creature.

(Frankenstein, by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley)

At the end of another day or two, Marianne growing visibly stronger every twelve hours, Mrs. Dashwood, urged equally by her own and her daughter's wishes, began to talk of removing to Barton.

(Sense and Sensibility, by Jane Austen)

There was no need to urge on the mares, for they were already flying at a pace which could neither be stopped nor controlled.

(Rodney Stone, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)