1.encourage的基本意思是“鼓励”,指给予意志薄弱的人或缺乏经验的人不畏艰险、困苦的勇气和信心,或者提高某人的情绪,去迎接或完成艰巨的任务,引申可表示为“怂恿”“促进”“助长”“援助”等。
2.encourage只用作及物动词,通常接名词、代词或“名词所有格〔物主代词〕+动名词”作宾语; 也可接以动词不定式充当补足语的复合宾语,此时动词不定式可能指未来的动作,也可指正在进行的动作; 还可接介词in引起的短语,表示鼓励某人目前正在做的某种事情。encourage可用于被动结构。
3.encourage的主语一般是人,偶尔也可以物作主语,这时的意思是“有助于”。
4.encourage的宾语一般也是人,如接非人称宾语,则意为鼓励某人做、干、形成、使用等,可以理解为鼓励人去行动的省略形式。encourage在接“名词所有格〔物主代词〕+动名词”作宾语时,不可用于被动结构。
5.encourage的现在分词encouraging常可用作形容词,在句中作定语; 其过去分词encouraged也可用作形容词,在句中作表语。

encourage by(v.+prep.)
通过…方式鼓励(某人) add to or strengthen the hopes of sb by sth
▲encourage sb by v-ing
He encouraged her by saying:“After a time you'll get used to things here.”他鼓励她说:“过一段时间,你会逐渐习惯这里的环境的。”

encourage in(v.+prep.)
在…方面鼓励(某人) add to or strengthen the hopes of sb about sth
▲encourage sb in sth
Don't encourage him in his idle ways.不能助长他的闲散习气。
◇ 用于be ～ed 结构
Mr. Blake was encouraged in his work by his superior.布雷克先生的上司鼓励他工作。

encourage with(v.+prep.)
用…方式鼓励(某人) add to or strengthen the hopes of sb with sth
▲encourage sb with sth
They often encourage the students with prizes.他们经常用奖品来鼓励学生。
◇ 用于be ～ed 结构
We were encouraged with his great success.他的巨大成功使我们受到鼓舞。

用作及物动词
▲S+～+n./pron.
I have always encouraged him.我一直鼓励他。
The general tried to encourage the troops.将军试图给士兵们鼓劲。
Marx wrote back to say that Engels' praise had greatly encouraged him.马克思回信给恩格斯说,他的赞誉对自己的鼓励很大。
The good news encouraged us.那个好消息激励了我们。
We wish to encourage no vice.我们希望别助长恶习。
At present we must energetically encourage the practice of making investigations and studies.目前,我们要大兴调查研究之风。
Don't encourage his laziness.不要助长他的惰性。
Sunlight encourages the growth of green plants.阳光促进绿色植物的生长。
Government subsidies will encourage the development of small industry.政府补贴将有助于小工业的发展。
◇ 用于be ～ed 结构
He was encouraged by the heroes.他被那些英雄人物所激励。
They feel encouraged by their achievements.他们为自己的成就而感到鼓舞。
The conversation was skillfully encouraged by host and hostess.这次谈话是男主人和女主人巧妙地引起来的。
▲S+～+v-ing
High prices for corn will encourage farming.谷物的高售价将促进农业生产。
Good health encourages clear thinking.健康有利于思维清楚。
He encouraged our spending less and earning more.他鼓励我们少花多挣。
He encouraged his son's learning English.他鼓励儿子学好英语。
Our teacher often encourages our speaking English.老师经常鼓励我们讲英语。
Her success encouraged my trying the same thing.她的成功激励我去做同样的尝试。
用作宾补动词
▲S+～+n./pron.+to-v
We should encourage the young to read more books.我们应当鼓励青年人多读书。
All the family encouraged the boy in his efforts to become a doctor.全家人都鼓励那个少年当医生。
◇ 用于be ～ed结构
They are encouraged to voice their opinions.他们受到鼓励,发表了自己的意见。
其他
▲v-ing as Attrib.
His parents' encouraging words made him more determined than ever before to be an artist.父母亲激励的话使他比以前更决心成为一名艺术家。
She hopped when she heard the encouraging news.她听到这个振奋人心的消息时,用一只脚跳了起来。
▲v-ing as s-Compl.
It is encouraging to read that illiteracy is declining.从读报中了解文盲情况正在好转,这是令人鼓舞的。
▲v-ing as o-Compl.
I find what you have said very encouraging.我发现你说的话非常激励人心。

encourage sb to-v, encourage sb in sth
这组短语都有“鼓励”的意思,但前者的意思是鼓励某人今后要做某事,即行动也许还未开始; 而后者则表示鼓励某人目前正在做的某种事情,即行动早已开始。试比较:
He encouraged me to study English.
他鼓励我去学英语。
He encouraged me in my English study.
他鼓励我加强英语学习。

encourage by, encourage with
这组短语都有“鼓励”的意思,但用法上不同,前者接动名词,而后者接名词。例如:
Don't encourage her laziness by doing things for her.不要帮她做事,以免助长她的懒惰。
He was encouraged with his success.他因为成功而受到鼓舞。

encourage, cheer, excite
参见cheer条。

encourage, embolden, steel
这组词都有“刺激,鼓舞”的意思。其区别在于:
1.encourage是指对意志薄弱的人或缺乏经验的人加以“鼓舞,鼓励”等,其宾语后面可接带to的动词不定式,也可接介词in＋名词短语。
2.embolden指给人壮胆,强调给予足够的勇气去做想做的事。例如:
She smiled and this emboldened him to speak to her.她微微一笑,这使他壮起胆来跟她说话。
3.steel强调变得坚强、坚定或冷酷,能忍受疼痛、苦难或侮辱等。例如:
He steeled himself to tell her about her father's death.他硬起了心肠把她父亲的死讯告诉了她。

encourage, countenance, favour
这三个词的共同意思是“赞成”“支持”。其区别是:
1.encourage指给予某人希望和信心,或者提高某人的情绪。
2.countenance指暗中支持或默认、纵容。例如:
We have said several times that we will never countenance violence.我们多次说过,永远不会暗中支持或纵容暴力。
3.favour指积极地赞助某事,促使其早见成效。例如:
They favour our program with a large contribution.他们大力捐助,以支持我们的计划。
The government favours the plan.政府支持这项计划。
下面两句话的意思相同:
My success encouraged me to continue.
My success encouraged my continuing.
我的成功鼓励我继续干下去。

1.我们鼓励学生提问。
［误］  We encourage that the students ask questions.
［正］  We encourage the students to ask questions.
［正］  We encourage the students' asking questions.
［析］  encourage后面可接动名词作宾语,也可接以动词不定式或含有物主代词〔名词所有格〕的动名词充当补足语的复合宾语,但不可接that从句作宾语。
2.通货膨胀下降使人们受到鼓舞。
［误］  It's encouraged that the inflation rate has dropped.
［正］  It's encouraging that the inflation rate has dropped.
一听到这个振奋人心的消息我们都控制不住自己了。
［误］  All of us could not hold ourselves in when we heard the encouraged news.
［正］  All of us could not hold ourselves in when we heard the encouraging news.
他为自己取得的进步而感到鼓舞。
［误］  He feels encouraging with the progress he has made.
［正］  He feels encouraged by the progress he has made.
他们被鼓励大胆说出自己的观点。
［误］  They are encouraging to speak out their opinions.
［正］  They are encouraged to speak out their opinions.
［析］  encourage的现在分词encouraging常可用作形容词,表示“令人振奋的”“令人鼓舞的”,在句中作定语或表语,用作表语时表示主动的含义,句子的主语一般为物或代词it; 过去分词encouraged也可用作形容词,在句中作表语,含有被动意义,句子的主语一般为人。

［同义词］   abet, embrave, incite, spur
［反义词］   depress, discourage, dissuade
［词源］  ＜中古英语encouragen＜古法语encoragier(使心里有勇气)