Inclination

Part of speech: noun (n.)

1. The act of inclining, or state of being inclined; a leaning; as, an inclination of the head.

2. A direction or tendency from the true vertical or horizontal direction; as, the inclination of a column, or of a road bed.

3. A tendency towards another body or point

4. The angle made by two lines or planes; as, the inclination of the plane of the earth's equator to the plane of the ecliptic is about 23º 28'; the inclination of two rays of light.

5. A leaning or tendency of the mind, feelings, preferences, or will; propensity; a disposition more favorable to one thing than to another; favor; desire; love. A mere inclination to a thing is not properly a willing of that thing. South. How dost thou find the inclination of the people Shak.

6. A person or thing loved or admired. Sir W. Temple.

7. Decantation, or tipping for pouring. Inclination compass, an inclinometer. -- Inclination of an orbit (Astron.), the angle which the orbit makes the ecliptic. -- Inclination of the needle. See Dip of the needle, under Dip.

Synonyms: Bent; tendency; proneness; bias; proclivity; propensity; prepossession; predilection; attachment; desire; affection; love. See Bent, and cf. Disposition.