inculcate -- Dad's birthday word

in·cul·cate (n-klkt, nkl-) tr.v. in·cul·cat·ed, in·cul·cat·ing, in·cul·cates 1. To impress (something) upon the mind of another by frequent instruction or repetition; instill: inculcating sound principles. 2. To teach (others) by frequent instruction or repetition; indoctrinate: inculcate the young with a sense of duty. [Latin inculcre, inculct-, to force upon : in-, on; see in-2 + calcre, to trample (from calx, calc-, heel).] incul·cation n. in·culcator n.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition copyright ©2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

 

Dad attempted to inculcate sound principles like Churchill's "a young man who is not a liberal has no heart; an old man who is not a conservative has no brain" into young Mary's head with his teachings, but she was hard-headed and would not always learn as he instructed.