2
general::
verb ADV. greatly, strongly We were greatly encouraged by the support we received. | actively, positively The government must actively encourage investment in these areas. VERB + ENCOURAGE aim to | try to | be designed to These questions are designed to encourage debate. | be likely to Newspapers should not publish material that is likely to encourage discrimination on the grounds of race or colour. PREP. in Her head of department encouraged her in her research work.
Oxford Collocations Dictionary