tempt

tempt (one) into (something or some place)

1. To entice or allure one to enter some place or thing. The beautiful woman kept giving the married man flirty looks to try to tempt him into the hot tub with her. There's no way you could tempt me into some underwater cage surrounded by sharks!
2. To entice or allure one to do something. A: "Could I tempt you into joining our company?" B: "No thanks, I'm very happy in my current job." The promise of adventure and a guaranteed job placement is tempting me into moving to Japan to teach English.
See also: tempt

tempt (one) to (do something)

To entice or allure one to do something. A: "Could I tempt you to join our company?" B: "No thanks, I'm very happy in my current job." The promise of adventure and a guaranteed job placement is tempting me to move to Japan to teach English.
See also: tempt

tempt (someone or an animal) with (something)

To entice, attract, or allure someone or an animal with something. I really don't want to relocate to Alaska, but the company is tempting me with a huge bonus. We tried tempting the lion with a slab of meat, but it refused to leave its cage.
See also: tempt

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.
See also: fate, tempt
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

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
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.

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.
See also: fate, tempt
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.

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.
See also: fate, tempt
Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed.

tempt fate (or providence)

act rashly. informal
See also: fate, tempt
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary

tempt ˈfate/ˈprovidence

take a risk or do something dangerous: ‘I don’t think I’ll insure my boat.’ ‘Don’t tempt fate. It’s best to insure it.’
See also: fate, tempt
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary

tempt fate, to

To expose to danger, to risk something. This expression dates from about 1700, when it replaced the earlier to tempt fortune. It appeared in John Dryden’s translation of one of the satires of Juvenal (1693): “Thy Perjur’d Friend will quickly tempt his Fate.”
See also: tempt
The Dictionary of Clichés by Christine Ammer
See also:
  • tempt (one) into (something or some place)
  • tempt into
  • tempting
  • tempt to do
  • tempt (one) to (do something)
  • bring (someone or something) out of (somewhere or someone)
  • bring out of
  • tempt (someone or an animal) with (something)
  • tempt with
  • cajole out of
References in periodicals archive
Linda Washington Lord, when I'm tempted, show me the door of escape.
Lured away
Inter chief Hector Cuper is prepared to offer a range of players to tempt Arsenal into a deal.
FOOTBALL: Inter deal for Giggs
Totesport's 7/2 for the draw could tempt punters buoyed by Ireland's decent start in Group Four and the home side's recent disappointing 0- 0 home
ODDS ON: Vikings set to plunder Scotland; GAME ON
Studio bosses hope the 79-yearold former Bond star will be tempted back with a major role.
Indy bid to lure Sean
More conservative buyers may be more tempted by the fact that the Jazz has just been awarded the "Supreme Honour" in the Auto Express New Car Honours.
DRIVETIME: MOTORING: DRIVING SHORTS
Skipper Stuart McCall has, meanwhile, been offered a new one-year extension to his deal to tempt him to become assistant manager.
Football: WHELAN CAN HAVE A TICKET TO RIDE HOME; Hot Line
Studio bosses hope the 79-year-old, above, will be tempted back with a big role.
SEAN INDY RETURN
But the feeling from St Andrews is that a reasonable bid would be enough to tempt Souness into letting the 25-year-old go.
Mahon move?
On Cocks Close the fish are lying under the trees on the wires bank but are difficult to tempt.
Trout tops at Packington
BORN-AGAIN Celt Jiri Jarosik could be tempted back to Russia in January by the offer of a pounds 1million-a-year salary from Premier League side Krylya Sovetov.
Football: RUSSIAN LURE FOR JAROSIK; EXCLUSIVE pounds 1m-a-year offer to tempt Celts ace
But he helped tempt the tastebuds of the 214 children with a range of tempting, healthy meals.
King of the healthy school dinners
He is keen to bolster his attacking options and is poised to tempt Leeds with an pounds 800,000 bid.
Road to El paved with gold, Celts?
NIALL QUINN flew to Ireland yesterday in a desperate bid to save his Sunderland dream -and find the money to tempt the 'world-class manager' he has pledged to deliver.
Football: Quinn in race to find funds for new boss
THE delicious aroma of a hot bacon butty is enough to tempt even the strictest of vegetarians, scientists said yesterday.
BACON BUTTY'S SIZZLER SECRET; Heat triggers smell
BIG Brother hunk Ray tried to tempt babe Tania into bed.
GIRLS BEHAVE BADLY.. BUT RAY FLOPS