inculcate

present singular third person inculcates · participle present inculcating · participle past inculcated · past inculcated

1. transitiveTo teach by repeated instruction.

   But wordless conditioning […] cannot inculcate the more complex courses of behaviour.

   1932, Aldous Huxley, Brave New World, London: Chatto & Windus

   2 more examples

   Those impious Pigs, Who, by frequent squeaks, have dared impugn The settled Swellfoot system, or to make Irreverent mockery of the genuflexions Inculcated by the arch-priest, have been whipt Into a loyal and an orthodox whine.

   1820, Percy Bysshe Shelley, Oedipus Tyrannus; Or, Swellfoot The Tyrant: A Tragedy in Two Acts

   she had a perfect Parisian accent, was musical—all French women sing—had a great deal of tournure, the value of which she was always inculcating on her pupils: "La Grace plus belle que la beauté," was invariably the quotation when putting on her shawl; and, it must be confessed, that never did five English girls put on shawls to such perfection.

   1838 (date written), L[etitia] E[lizabeth] L[andon], “(please specify the page)”, in Lady Anne Granard; or, Keeping up Appearances. […], volume I, London: Henry Colburn, […], published 1842, →OCLC, pages 55–56

   Synonyms: instill, ingrain

2. transitiveTo induce understanding or a particular sentiment in a person or persons.

   The right defense against false sentiments is to inculcate just sentiments.

   1943, C. S. Lewis, The Abolition of Man

   3 more examples

   all preachers , especially such as be of good temper , and have wisdom with conscience , ought to inculcate and beat upon a peace , silence , and surseance

   1641, Francis Bacon, A Wise and Moderate Discourse, Concerning Church-Affaires

   The institutional forces — school, psychiatry, police — that inculcate conformity and enforce heterosexuality in gay youth.

   1985 August 17, S. H. Chua, “IGA Smashes Borders”, in Gay Community News, volume 13, number 6, page 9

   But there is also real opposition to Nato expansion - and even to Nato's continued existence after the Cold War. This is a view shared by a very large part of Russia's military and foreign affairs establishment. Educated and trained during the Soviet period, they are still inculcated with notions of super-power military might. It has been painful for these people to see Nato's outer edge creep ever closer to what was once the frontier of the USSR.

   2002 November 22, Steven Eke, “Russia's rocky relationship with Nato”, in BBC World Service

1. not comparableobsoleteInculcated.

   Wee had neede to haue the word of God often inculcate and beaten vpon vs.

   1608, Andrew Willet, Hexapla in Exodum