I. urge 1 W3 /ɜːdʒ $ ɜːrdʒ/ BrE AmE verb [transitive]
[ Date: 1500-1600 ; Language: Latin ; Origin: urgere ]
1 . to strongly suggest that someone does something
urge somebody to do something
I got a note from Moira urging me to get in touch.
urge that
He urged that a referendum should be held by December.
urge something on/upon somebody
I have urged upon him the need for extreme secrecy.
The charity urged quick action.
2 . [always + adverb/preposition] formal to make someone or something move by shouting, pushing them etc
urge somebody/something forward
He urged her forward, his hand under her elbow.
urge somebody into/towards something
She began urging him towards the front door.
urge somebody ↔ on phrasal verb
to encourage a person or animal to work harder, go faster etc:
Urged on by the crowd, the Italian team scored two more goals.
II. urge 2 BrE AmE noun [countable]
a strong wish or need SYN desire
urge to do something
He could no longer resist the urge to go and see Amanda.
Suddenly she had an overwhelming urge to be with her son.
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COLLOCATIONS
■ adjectives
▪ strong/powerful
The urge was too strong to resist.
▪ an irresistible/uncontrollable/overwhelming urge (=very strong)
I was overcome by an irresistible urge to laugh.
▪ a sudden urge
She fought back the sudden urge to beg his forgiveness.
▪ a sexual/biological urge
Most of us feel the biological urge to reproduce.
▪ a primal/instinctive/basic/natural urge (=a natural urge that all people have)
Every animal has an instinctive urge to survive.
■ verbs
▪ feel/have an urge
I still sometimes feel an urge to have a cigarette.
▪ resist/fight/suppress an urge
She had to resist a constant urge to look back over her shoulder.
▪ satisfy an urge (=do want you feel you want to do)
He satisfied his urge to travel by going to India.
▪ give in to an urge (=do what you feel you want to do, when this is wrong)
I try not to give in to the urge to gossip.