urge

[urj] /ɜrdʒ/
verb (used with object), urged, urging.
1.
to push or force along; impel with force or vigor:
to urge the cause along.
2.
to drive with incitement to speed or effort:
to urge dogs on with shouts.
3.
to press, push, or hasten (the course, activities, etc.):
to urge one's escape.
4.
to impel, constrain, or move to some action:
urged by necessity.
5.
to endeavor to induce or persuade, as by entreaties; entreat or exhort earnestly:
to urge a person to greater caution.
6.
to press (something) upon the attention:
to urge a claim.
7.
to insist on, allege, or assert with earnestness:
to urge the need of haste.
8.
to press by persuasion or recommendation, as for acceptance, performance, or use; recommend or advocate earnestly:
to urge a plan of action.
verb (used without object), urged, urging.
9.
to exert a driving or impelling force; give an impulse to haste or action:
Hunger urges.
10.
to make entreaties or earnest recommendations.
11.
to press arguments or allegations, as against a person, action, or cause:
The senator urged against the confirmation of the appointment.
noun
12.
an act of urging; impelling action, influence, or force; impulse.
13.
an involuntary, natural, or instinctive impulse:
the sex urge.
Origin
1550-60; < Latin urgēre to press, force, drive, urge
Related forms
urgingly, adverb
overurge, verb, overurged, overurging.
unurged, adjective
unurging, adjective
Synonyms
4. incite, goad, stimulate, spur. 7. aver, asseverate.
Antonyms
1–3. deter. 4, 5. discourage.
Examples from the web for urge
  • But the human urge to improve any patch of ground is strong.
  • When scientists knocked out the itch neurons, the mice no longer had the urge to scratch in response to known itchy stimulus.
  • The urge to declare victory and get back to normal policy after an economic crisis is strong.
  • They take advantage of gamers' completion urge by prominently displaying progress bars that encourage leveling up.
  • Its purchase coincided with my developing a strong urge to fill in ancient gaps in my physics education.
  • Shortly afterward, the hen gets an urge and climbs into the nest box.
  • Of course, the urge to get above it all has obsessed photographers since the invention of the camera.
  • Sometimes the urge catches you too quickly to respond, or your hands are too full to do anything.
  • It seems in these times to convey a self-destructive urge, though in her time it may only have suggested sophistication.
  • But when confronted with a loud noise or fast-moving object, the urge to look becomes automatic.
British Dictionary definitions for urge

urge

/ɜːdʒ/
verb
1.
(transitive) to plead, press, or move (someone to do something): we urged him to surrender
2.
(transitive; may take a clause as object) to advocate or recommend earnestly and persistently; plead or insist on: to urge the need for safety
3.
(transitive) to impel, drive, or hasten onwards: he urged the horses on
4.
(transitive) (archaic or literary) to stimulate, excite, or incite
noun
5.
a strong impulse, inner drive, or yearning
Word Origin
C16: from Latin urgēre
Word Origin and History for urge
v.

1550s, from Latin urgere "to press hard, push, drive, compel," from PIE root *werg- "to work" (cf. Avestan vareza "work, activity;" Greek ergon "work," orgia "religious performances," organon "tool;" Armenian gorc "work;" Lithuanian verziu "tie, fasten, squeeze," vargas "need, distress;" Old Church Slavonic vragu "enemy;" Gothic waurkjan, Old English wyrcan "work;" Gothic wrikan "persecute," Old English wrecan "drive, hunt, pursue;" Old Norse yrka "work, take effect"). Related: Urged; urging.

n.

1610s, from urge (v.); in frequent use after c.1910.