DictionaryAI

incur

verb
Sayin-KUR/ɪnˈkɝ/UK/ɪnˈkɜː/

Formsincurs, incurring, incurred

4 meanings of incur

Practice

  1. 1
    verbtransitive
    To bring something bad onto yourself by what you do.

    Like touching a hot stove and getting burned: you bring the pain on yourself.

    If you pay your bill late, you will incur a fee.

    Drivers who break the speed limit incur fines.

    Similarsuffer, face, sustain, attract

    Oppositeavoid, escape

    Note
  2. 2
    verbtransitive
    To make a person responsible for paying or doing something.

    Like owing a fine the moment you return a book late.

    By signing the form, you incur a legal duty to pay.

    The company incurred debts it could not repay.

    Similaroccasion

    Oppositeavoid

    Note
  3. 3
    verbobsoletetransitive
    To enter or move into a place.

    Like walking into a room you have never seen before.

    The soldiers incurred the city through its broken gate.

    Few dare to incur that wild country alone.

    Note

Less common meaning

  1. 4
    verbobsoleteintransitive
    To happen during a certain time, or to run into danger.
    Note

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Origin

It came through Middle English and French from Latin "incurrere".