1. The act or process of enticing or persuading another person to take a certain course of action. See fraud in the inducement under FRAUD.
active inducement. The act of intentionally causing a third party to infringe a valid patent. • Active inducement requires proof of (1) an actual intent to cause the patent infringement and (2) knowledge of the patent. [Cases: Patents 259(1). C.J.S. Patents § 427.]
2. Contracts. The benefit or advantage that causes a promisor to enter into a contract.
3. Criminal law. An enticement or urging of another person to commit a crime.
4. The preliminary statement in a pleading; esp., in an action for defamation, the plaintiff’s allegation that extrinsic facts gave a defamatory meaning to a statement that is not defamatory on its face, or, in a criminal indictment, a statement of preliminary facts necessary to show the criminal character of the alleged offense. Cf. INNUENDO(2); COLLOQUIUM. [Cases: Libel and Slander 81. C.J.S. Libel and Slander; Injurious Falsehood§§ 4, 129–130.] — induce, vb.
