inclination

Everyday

1. A feeling of wanting to do something; a liking, as in «I had no inclination to go». tree →
2. A natural tendency to behave in a certain way. tree →
3. (maths, science) A slope or slant, or the angle of a slope. tree →
4. A small bow or nod of the head. tree →

In the lessons

In maths and science: the inclination of a ramp affects how fast a ball rolls; the Earth's axis has an inclination (tilt). In everyday and story language: «She had no inclination to get up.» Phrases: have no inclination, by inclination.

Examples

• I had no inclination to go out in the rain. tree →
• The inclination of the ramp was steep. tree →
• The Earth's tilt, or inclination, gives us seasons. tree →
• He has an inclination to talk too much. tree →
• She gave a slight inclination of her head. tree →
• By inclination, he is a quiet boy. tree →
• But neither the student nor either of his travelling companions felt the least inclination to think of it in this way. tree →

Note

Verb: incline; adjective: inclined («I'm inclined to agree»). In maths, inclination is measured in degrees from the flat (horizontal). A bigger angle of inclination = steeper slope.