To give someone support, confidence, or hope so they feel more able to do something. It can also mean to help something develop or grow.
From Old French *encoragier*, from *en-* ('make') plus *corage* ('heart, spirit'), from Latin *cor* ('heart'). It literally means 'to put heart into' someone.
To 'encourage' someone is literally to add heart to them. You’re not just giving advice; you’re upgrading their inner energy. The word quietly suggests that courage isn’t born alone—it’s shared.
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