tendency

英['tend(ə)nsɪ] 美['tɛndənsi]

1. an attitude of mind especially one that favors one alternative over others;

"he had an inclination to give up too easily"

"a tendency to be too strict"

2. an inclination to do something;

"he felt leanings toward frivolity"

3. a characteristic likelihood of or natural disposition toward a certain condition or character or effect;

"the alkaline inclination of the local waters"

"fabric with a tendency to shrink"

4. a general direction in which something tends to move;

"the shoreward tendency of the current"

"the trend of the stock market"