encourage
v.v. to give someone support, confidence, or hope so they feel like they can do something. You also use it when you want to help a process happen more easily.
v. to inspire with confidence, spirit, or hope; to provide support or motivation for a specific action. Often used to describe the promotion or stimulation of a particular activity or development.
My parents always encourage me to try new things.
The teacher spoke to the student after class to encourage her to apply for the scholarship.
The government introduced new tax breaks specifically designed to encourage small business owners to invest in sustainable energy solutions for their offices.
From Middle English encouragen, encoragen, from Anglo-Norman encoragier, from Old French encoragier. Displaced native Old English hiertan, tyhtan, and trymman. By surface analysis, en- + courage.
The verb is transitive. When followed by another verb, it typically uses the pattern 'encourage someone to do something'.
They encourage to study hardThey encourage us to study hardEncourage requires a direct object (the person being encouraged) before the infinitive clause.