English Language & Usage Asked by Mooks on August 3, 2021
There’s a word in the back of my mind that I just can’t quite bring to the surface. It is generally used with negative connotations and it means something along the lines of appeasing/placating/pacifying someone to the point of encouraging bad behaviour.
Edit:
A sample sentence:
Stop [word]ing Clive, he’s just going to get worse.
Indulging or overindulging a child refers to giving them too much of what they want so they don't learn the necessary life lessons: dealing with disappointment, learning to wait, saving up, learning to share, feeling and expressing gratitude, and more. Merriam-Webster gives as one of the meanings of "indulge": "to treat with excessive leniency, generosity, or consideration", and it's the word "excessive" that is key.
According to psychology professor David Bredehoft, it's a form of child neglect because it hampers their development, and produces adults who overeat and drink, are always in debt, can't follow rules, and are never satisfied. There is a lot of parenting advice on how to reward children in a healthy way and not (over)indulge them.
Correct answer by Stuart F on August 3, 2021
The verb "to condone" is close to what is needed, but the encouraging is not part of the meaning, it is just a natural result of tolerating the given objectionable behaviour.
Collins If someone condones behaviour that is morally wrong, they accept it and allow it to happen.
Dictionary definitions often do not mention that people can be condoned, only bad behaviour; however, numerous examples can be found in which a person is the referent of the object.
Merriam Webster
lexico
Cambridge Dictionary
OALD (This dictionary mentions the construction "condone (somebody) something".)
(ref. 1) On the other hand, he grew fond of his mother who, he felt, would condone him everything.
(ref. 2) But we were insignificant to him, except for a laugh. And everybody else in town was the same to him: good for a laugh, which was maybe why I could condone him. He treated everybody with the same contempt. He was the least real of all.
(ref. 3) If you will not sack him, you condone him, and your government remains in shambles for as long as he remains a member.
Answered by LPH on August 3, 2021
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