tempt
(redirected from tempting)Also found in: Dictionary, Thesaurus, Legal.
tempt fate
1. To do something that one knows is dangerous or likely to have a negative outcome. You're really tempting fate by not taking your car in for service when all these dashboard lights are on.
2. To invite bad luck or unpleasant situations by showing one's confidence in something. I'm afraid to tempt fate, but I really think I did well on the exam.
tempt someone into something
to lure or seduce someone into something. Could I tempt you into going swimming? She would not be tempted into eating the rich and fattening cake.
See also: tempt
tempt someone to do something
to entice someone to do something. You can't tempt me to eat any of that cake! I wasn't even tempted to go into town with the others.
See also: tempt
tempt someone with something
to entice someone with something. Can I tempt you with a bit of chocolate cake? I was tempted with a free book if I sent in my name, but I decided against it.
See also: tempt
tempt fate
Also, tempt the fates. Take a severe risk, as in It's tempting fate to start up that mountain so late in the day, or Patrice thought driving that old car was tempting the fates; it was sure to break down . This expression uses tempt in the sense of "test in a way that involves risk or danger." Earlier idioms with a similar meaning were tempt God, dating from the 1300s, and tempt fortune, first recorded in 1603, with fate appearing about 1700.
tempt fate
COMMON
1. If someone tempts fate, they take unnecessary risks or do something that may bring them bad luck. They charged the organisers with tempting fate by sending so many ill-prepared crews into such dangerous waters. Note: You can also say that someone tempts providence. I used to take the most appalling risks because it was in my nature to push everything to the extreme. I was tempting providence all the time.
2. If you tempt fate, you talk too confidently about something which may go wrong. While I wouldn't want to tempt fate, almost every time this team has been put under pressure, they've triumphed. Note: You can also say that someone tempts providence. I'm 36 and I'd hate to tempt providence and say I'm going to get pregnant.