coax

CEFRB2

/kəʊks/

verb · noun

Türkçe translations

Translating…

In plain English

  1. 01

    verb

    To persuade someone gently to do something.

  2. 02

    verb

    Extra detail

    To carefully manipulate (someone or something) into a particular desired state, situation or position.

Examples

  • It still amazes me what she could coax out of table scraps.

  • Yanni tried to coax Skura into sending him money.

At a glance

Sits at B2 on the CEFR scale

Senses
5
Parts of speech
2
Citations
4
Synonyms
5

Also pronounced

  • /koʊks/

Deep Dive

verb

Extra meanings

  1. To wheedle or persuade (a person, organisation, animal etc.) gradually or by use of flattery to do something.

  2. To fondle, kid, pet, tease.

noun

Extra meaning

  1. A simpleton; a dupe.

More examples

In context

  • He coaxed the horse gently into the trailer.

  • They coaxed the rope through the pipe.

  • 12 July 2012, Sam Adams, AV Club Ice Age: Continental Drift On paper, Continental Drift boasts a jaw-dropping voice cast, including but not limited to Jennifer Lopez, Patrick Stewart, Wanda Sykes, Aziz Ansari, Simon Pegg, Nick Frost, Nicki Minaj, Drake, and A...

Synonyms

Quick test

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Nearby

Origin

verb

Originally (1586) in the slang phrase to make a coax of, from earlier noun coax, cox, cokes "fool, simpleton", itself of obscure origin, perhaps related to cock (“male bird, pert boy”). The modern spelling is from 1706.