incense
Language: English
Part of speech: verb
Pronunciation: enpr: ĭnsĕns'
ipa: /ɪnˈsɛns/
rhymes: (verb) -ɛns
Forms: form: incenses
form: incensing
form: incensed
form: incensed
Etymology: From Middle English encens, from Old French encens (“sweet-smelling substance”) from Late Latin incensum (“burnt incense”, literally “something burnt”), neuter past participle of incendō (“I set on fire”). Compare incendiary. Doublet of incienso.
Senses: examples: text: Twelve Trojan princes wait on thee, and labour to incense / Thy glorious heap of funeral.
ref: [1611?], Homer, “(please specify |book=I to XXIV)”, in Geo[rge] Chapman, transl., The Iliads of Homer Prince of Poets. […], London: […] Nathaniell Butter, →OCLC; republished as The Iliads of Homer, Prince of Poets, […], new edition, volume (please specify the book number), London: Charles Knight and Co., […], 1843, →OCLC:
synonyms: word: inflame
word: alight
word: conflagrate
word: fire
word: fire up
word: ignite
word: inflame
word: kindle
word: light
word: light up
word: set ablaze
word: set afire
word: set aflame
word: set alight
word: set fire
word: set on fire
word: torch
glosses: To set on fire; to inflame; to kindle; to burn.
examples: text: I think it would incense him to learn the truth.
text: His Grace the Duke of Wellington was incensed greatly, and as badge of dishonor ordered that a strip of cherry colored ribbon be sewed on their trowser seams.
ref: 1909 December 1, “‘Traditions’”, in Fresno Herald and Democrat, last edition, volume XLI, number 1008, Fresno, Calif., →OCLC, page 4, column 2:
text: Few political careers start when people are in their 70s, but Hendy is actually relishing it, although he is incensed sometimes by the pointlessness of the posturing by the opposition, which keeps him up late. "The bit I don't like is getting home at 0100 or 0200 in the morning because the opposition have been fruitlessly arguing for a long time."
ref: 2025 October 1, Christian Wolmar, “Rail Minister at the heart of rail reform”, in RAIL, number 1045, page 35:
synonyms: word: inflame
word: affront
word: aggravate
word: anger
word: antagonize
word: awrath
word: burn up
word: cheese off
word: cross
word: embitter
word: envenom
word: gall
word: get
word: get to
word: honk off
word: incense
word: inflame
word: infuriate
word: madden
word: make angry
word: nark
word: offend
word: outrage
word: provoke
word: put out
word: rankle
word: rile
word: piss off
word: roil
word: set off
word: steam
word: tick off
word: get one's back up
word: get someone's dander up
word: get someone's goat
word: get someone's Irish up
word: make someone see red
word: make someone's blood boil
word: put someone's back up
word: raise someone's hackles
word: raise someone's shag
word: rattle someone's cage
word: rub the wrong way
word: ruffle some feathers
word: set up someone's birse
glosses: To anger or infuriate.
synonyms: word: provoke
word: abet
word: actuate
word: goose
word: send
word: sting
word: bring about
word: cheer
word: drive
word: encourage
word: egg on
word: engender
word: evoke
word: excite
word: foment
word: goad
word: grill
word: ignite
word: impel
word: incite
word: induce
word: inflame
word: instigate
word: invoke
word: lash
word: motive
word: motivate
word: move
word: obligate
word: oblige
word: push
word: promote
word: prompt
word: provoke
word: rouse
word: set off
word: spark off
word: spur
word: spur on
word: stimulate
word: stir
word: stir up
word: stoke
word: tempt
word: urge
word: whet
word: whip up
glosses: To incite, stimulate.
examples: text: And after this Almachius hastily
Bad his ministres fecchen openly
Cecile, so that she mighte in his presence
Doon sacrifyce, and Iupiter encense.
And after this, Almachius hastily
Ordered his ministers to fetch publicly
Cecile, so that she might in his presence
Do sacrifice and burn incense to Jupiter.
ref: late 14th century, Geoffrey Chaucer, The Second Nun's Tale, The Canterbury Tales, line 410-413
synonyms: fume
glosses: To offer incense to.
examples: text: To haue her bound, incenſed with wanton ſweetes, / Her vaines fild hie with heating delicates, / […] / O Ithaca can chaſteſt Penelope hold out.
ref: c. 1603 (date written), Iohn Marston, The Malcontent, London: […] V[alentine] S[immes] for William Aspley, […], published 1604, →OCLC, Act III, scene ii:
text: Neither, for the future, shall any man or woman, self-styled noble, be incensed,—foolishly fumigated with incense, in Church; as the wont has been.
ref: 1837, Thomas Carlyle, The French Revolution: A History […], volume (please specify |volume=I to III), London: Chapman and Hall, →OCLC, (please specify the book or page number):
text: The priests solemnly incensed the girl who personated the goddess.
ref: 1911, James George Frazer, The Golden Bough, volume 9, page 294:
synonyms: word: fume
word: musk
word: aromatize
word: odorize
word: scent
glosses: To perfume with, or as with, incense.
Derived terms: incensor
incensory
reincense