intrigue: Meaning and Definition of

in•trigue

Pronunciation: (v.in-trēg'n.in-trēg', in'trēg), [key]
— v., n. -trigued, -tri•guing,
—v.t.
  1. to arouse the curiosity or interest of by unusual, new, or otherwise fascinating or compelling qualities; appeal strongly to; captivate: The plan intrigues me, but I wonder if it will work.
  2. to achieve or earn by appealing to another's curiosity, fancy, or interest: to intrigue one's way into another's notice.
  3. to draw or capture: Her interest was intrigued by the strange symbol.
  4. to accomplish or force by crafty plotting or underhand machinations.
  5. to entangle.
  6. to trick or cheat.
—v.i.
  1. to plot craftily or underhandedly.
  2. to carry on a secret or illicit love affair.
—n.
  1. the use of underhand machinations or deceitful stratagems.
  2. such a machination or stratagem or a series of them; a plot or crafty dealing: political intrigues.
  3. a secret or illicit love affair.
  4. the series of complications forming the plot of a play.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.
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