Both Uses of
indulgent
in
A Prayer for Owen Meany
- She was a passionate reader, and she thought that reading was one of the noblest efforts of all; in contrast, she found writing to be a great waste of time—a childish self-indulgence, even messier than finger painting—but she admired reading, which she believed was an unselfish activity that provided information and inspiration.†
p. 260.5self-indulgence = being excessively kind to or undemanding of oneself
- You've permitted yourself a fatal and childish indulgence, you've done something one of the boys might do, you've engaged in a kind of combat with a student—you've been competing with one of the kids.†
p. 406.9 *indulgence = treatment with extra kindness or tolerance OR (more rarely) a special pleasure (typically something done in excess of what is thought good -- such as eating too much cake, or being too lazy)
Definitions:
-
(1)
(indulgent) to treat with extra kindness or tolerance
-
(2)
(meaning too rare to warrant focus) meaning too rare to warrant focus:
In the form, indulgence, the word can also refer to a special pleasure--typically something done in excess of what is thought good--such as eating too much cake, or being too lazy