coax — to persuade someone gently or gradually to do something
Part of speech: VERB
Definition: to persuade someone gently or gradually to do something
Pronunciation (IPA): /koʊks/
Example Sentences
- I had to coax my lazy roommate out of bed with the promise of free pizza.
- The mechanic coaxed the old engine back to life.
- She coaxed a confession out of him with homemade cookies.
coax
VERB[/koʊks/]
to persuade someone gently or gradually to do something
She tries to coax the shy kitten out from under the couch with treats.
She coax the folks to free themselves from heavy yokes
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🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
From the Middle English 'cokes,' derived from the noun 'coke' meaning a fool or simpleton. The verb developed the sense of 'to trick or cajole someone,' eventually evolving to mean persuading gently or gradually.
Breakdown
coax: from Middle English 'cokes' (fool) → verb form meaning to persuade or trick, likely influenced by the idea of treating someone like a foolish person who needs coaxing
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“I had to coax my lazy roommate out of bed with the promise of free pizza.”
“The mechanic coaxed the old engine back to life.”
“She coaxed a confession out of him with homemade cookies.”
“The teacher coaxed the shy student to participate in class discussions.”
📚Related Words
Synonyms
Antonyms
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