tendency

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"

an inclination to do something; "he felt leanings toward frivolity"

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"

a general direction in which something tends to move; "the shoreward tendency of the current"; "the trend of the stock market"