coax

¹coax

verb \ˈkōks\

Definition of COAX

transitive verb

1

obsolete : fondle, pet

2

: to influence or gently urge by caressing or flattering : wheedle <coaxed him into going>

3

: to draw, gain, or persuade by means of gentle urging or flattery <unable to coax an answer out of him>

4

: to manipulate with great perseverance and usually with considerable effort toward a desired state or activity <coax a fire to burn>

Examples of COAX

1. It took almost an hour to coax the cat down from the tree.
2. She tried to coax a raise from her boss.
3. He was unable to coax an answer out of her.
4. He coaxed the fire to burn by blowing on it.
5. The plant is difficult to coax into bloom.

Origin of COAX

earlier cokes, from cokes simpleton

First Known Use: 1581

Related to COAX

Synonyms: blandish, blarney, cajole, palaver, soft-soap, sweet-talk, wheedle

Related Words: adulate, flatter, overpraise; butter up, charm, massage, woo; beg, beseech, importune, urge; beguile, cozen, finagle, juggle, wangle, wile; entice, lure, seduce, tempt

Near Antonyms: bug, harass, nag, pester, tease; browbeat, bulldoze, bully, cow, intimidate; coerce, compel, constrain, demand, force, make, oblige, require

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See Synonym Discussion at cajole

Rhymes with COAX

hoax