[in.cline] vb in.clined ; in.clin.ing [ME, fr. MF incliner, fr. L inclinare, fr. in- + clinare to lean--more at lean] vi (14c) 1: to bend the head or body forward: bow
2: to lean, tend, or become drawn toward an opinion or course of conduct
3: to deviate from a line, direction, or course; specif: to deviate from the vertical or horizontal ~ vt 1: to cause to stoop or bow: bend
2: to have influence on: persuade "his love of books inclined him toward a literary career"
3: to give a bend or slant to -- in.clin.er n syn incline, bias, dispose, predispose mean to influence one to have or take an attitude toward something. incline implies a tendency to favor one of two or more actions or conclusions "I incline to agree". bias suggests a settled and predictable leaning in one direction and connotes unfair prejudice "the experience biased him against foreigners". dispose suggests an affecting of one's mood or temper so as to incline one toward something "her nature disposes her to trust others". predispose implies the operation of a disposing influence well in advance of the opportunity to manifest itself "does fictional violence predispose them to accept real violence?".
[2]in.cline n (1846): an inclined plane: grade, slope