pə(r)ˈswāzhən noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English persuasioun, from Middle French or Latin; Middle French persuasion, from Latin persuasion-, persuasio, from persuasus (past participle of persuadēre to persuade) + -ion-, -io -ion — more at persuade
1.
a. : an act or the action of influencing the mind by arguments or reasons offered or by anything that moves the mind or passions or inclines the will to a determination
b. : something that serves to persuade : a persuading argument : inducement
if none of these persuasions move you
c. : ability to persuade : persuasiveness
there is an inherent persuasion in some voices
2. : the condition of having the mind influenced (as to decision, acceptance, or belief) from without : the quality or state of being persuaded
3. : something of which one is persuaded: as
a. : a notion or opinion receiving full credence : a view held with complete assurance
holding the persuasion that they could not fail
especially : a system of religious or other beliefs
the several Protestant persuasions
b. : a group, faction, sect, or party that adheres to a particular system of beliefs or ideas or promotes a particular view, theory, or cause
composers of all different persuasions — Arthur Berger
the Tory persuasion
4. : kind , sort , description
persons of the male persuasion
5. : an act of persuading by force ; also : compulsive force
6. : a method of treating the neuroses consisting essentially in rational conversation and reeducation
Synonyms: see opinion , religion