urges
|ur/ges|
🇺🇸
/ˈɝdʒɪz/
🇬🇧
/ˈɜːdʒɪz/
(urge)
strong encouragement
Etymology
'urge' originates from Latin, specifically the word 'urgēre', where the root 'urg-' meant 'to press' or 'to drive'.
'urge' passed into English via Old French (variants such as 'urger' or 'orgier') and Middle English forms (e.g., 'urgen'), eventually becoming the modern English word 'urge'.
Initially it meant 'to press or push', but over time it broadened to include 'to encourage strongly' and the noun sense 'a strong desire'.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a strong desire or impulse to do something.
He could not control his urges.
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Noun 2
physical sensations signaling a need (e.g., bowel or bladder urges).
She felt urgent urges to use the bathroom.
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Verb 1
to strongly encourage or recommend someone to do something (third-person singular).
The committee urges careful consideration of the proposal.
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Last updated: 2025/11/30 15:18