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Temptation is derived from the verb 'to tempt'.
- Tempt
To tempt is to entice or try to entice (someone) to do something that they find attractive but know to be wrong or unwise. The biblical people often term it as a sin. Often they blame most temptations to the devil.
Hash tag here is to 'entice'. This is to
attract or tempt by offering pleasure or advantage.
Now this attraction does not come single. It carries with it a bait. The bait may be in the form of an offer for pleasure or advantage.
Another predominant word is 'to allure'. This is another synonym of tempt and entice. It means 'powerfully attract or charm'.
Now here there is a powerful attraction. It is charming powerfully. That is to tempt.
We will not stop at that though. There is 'to appeal strongly'. That is what temptation does.
Advertisements especially those connected to food are very temptating. They leave your mouth watering because they often appeal strongly. One gets themselves involved in impulse buying.
Do not tempt me with that offer.
Another aspect of temptation is to do something often regarded as unwise, wrong, or immoral.
Three strong words here. One is tempted to:
Do something regarded as unwise.
You may steal from the company kitty to entertain a friend. That is unwise. One may be a teacher and defile his minor children. Such acts are regarded as unwise.Do something regarded as wrong. Being incestious is regarded as wrong in most cultures. Killing, stealing, adultery and other facts embedded in our Ten Commandments are regarded as wrong.
Doing something regarded as immoral. It was immoral to be gay or engage in lesbianism. It is no longer so. Yet when a straight guy is tempted to engage in gay activities, we term it as temptation.
Temptation may be to put (someone) to the test in a venturesome way; provoke:
to tempt one's fate. This is more insight into temptation. The devil must have done this to Jesus in Matt 4. It is obsolete to try or test. The desire to do something, especially something wrong or unwise is temptation too.