coaxing


Also found in: Thesaurus, Idioms, Encyclopedia.

coax 1

 (kōks)
v. coaxed, coax·ing, coax·es
v.tr.
1. To persuade or try to persuade by pleading or flattery; cajole.
2. To obtain by persistent persuasion: coaxed the secret out of the child.
3. Obsolete To caress; fondle.
4. To move to or adjust toward a desired end: "A far more promising approach to treating advanced melanoma is to coax the immune system to recognize melanoma cells as deadly" (Natalie Angier).
v.intr.
To use persuasion or inducement.
[Obsolete cokes, to fool, from cokes, fool.]
coax′er n.
coax′ing·ly adv.

co·ax 2

 (kō′ăks, kō-ăks′)
n. Informal
A coaxial cable.
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

coaxing

(ˈkəʊksɪŋ)
n
the act of persuading by tenderness, flattery, pleading, etc
adj
serving to persuade or manipulate
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Noun1.coaxing - flattery designed to gain favorcoaxing - flattery designed to gain favor  
blarney, soft soap, sweet talk
flattery - excessive or insincere praise
Adj.1.coaxing - pleasingly persuasive or intended to persuade; "a coaxing and obsequious voice"; "her manner is quiet and ingratiatory and a little too agreeable"
ingratiatory
persuasive - intended or having the power to induce action or belief; "persuasive eloquence"; "a most persuasive speaker"; "a persuasive argument"
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
Translations

coaxing

[ˈkəʊksɪŋ]
A. ADJ → mimoso
B. N → mimos mpl, halagos mpl
Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

coaxing

n → gutes Zureden, Zuspruch m; with a little coaxing the engine/fire started → mit etwas List und Tücke kam der Motor/das Feuer in Gang
adj → einschmeichelnd
Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

coaxing

[ˈkəʊksɪŋ] n → moine fpl
Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995
Mentioned in ?
References in classic literature ?
"We've got no tea nor butter," said the old woman, with something like a scowl, as if she were getting tired of coaxing.
View in context
`Poor little thing!' said Alice, in a coaxing tone, and she tried hard to whistle to it; but she was terribly frightened all the time at the thought that it might be hungry, in which case it would be very likely to eat her up in spite of all her coaxing.
View in context
Accordingly we went a-maying, following the lure of dancing winds to a certain westward sloping hill lying under the spirit-like blue of spring skies, feathered over with lisping young pines and firs, which cupped little hollows and corners where the sunshine got in and never got out again, but stayed there and grew mellow, coaxing dear things to bloom long before they would dream of waking up elsewhere.
View in context
'You wouldn't mind my cutting out something while we are at tea, would you?' she asked her Jewish friend, with a coaxing air.
View in context

Dictionary browser ?
Full browser ?