Predispose

3 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Predispose \Pre`dis*pose"\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Predisposed};
     p. pr. & vb. n. {Predisposing}.] [Pref. pre- + dispose: cf.
     F. pr['e]disposer.]
     1. To dispose or incline beforehand; to give a predisposition
        or bias to; as, to predispose the mind to friendship.
        [1913 Webster]


  
     2. To make fit or susceptible beforehand; to give a tendency
        to; as, debility predisposes the body to disease.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     {Predisposing causes} (Med.), causes which render the body
        liable to disease; predisponent causes.
        [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  predispose
       v : make susceptible; "This illness predisposes you to gain
           weight"

From Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0 [moby-thes]:

  21 Moby Thesaurus words for "predispose":
     affect, bend, bias, color, dispose, impress, incline, induce,
     influence, lead, move, persuade, prompt, soften up, strike, sway,
     tinge, tone, wear down, weigh with, work