En*cour"age*ment (?), n. [Cf. F. encouragement.]
1. The act of encouraging; incitement to action or to practice; as, the encouragement of youth in generosity.
All generous encouragement of arts.
Otway.
2. That which serves to incite, support, promote, or advance, as favor, countenance, reward, etc.; incentive; increase of confidence; as, the fine arts find little encouragement among a rude people.
To think of his paternal care,
Is a most sweet encouragement to prayer.
Byron.
© Webster 1913. | 
