Liberal Dictionary English Dictionary
noun
- the act of encouraging.
- the state of being encouraged.
- something that encourages: Praise is the greatest encouragement.
1560s, from encourage + -ment, or from Middle French encoragement.
As a general rule, Providence seldom vouchsafes to mortals any more than just that degree of encouragement which suffices to keep them at a reasonably full exertion of their powers. [Hawthorne, “House of Seven Gables”]