coax /kəʊks $ koʊks/ BrE AmE verb [transitive]
[ Date: 1500-1600 ; Origin: cokes 'stupid person' (16-17 centuries) ]
1 . to persuade someone to do something that they do not want to do by talking to them in a kind, gentle, and patient way:
‘Please, Vic, come with us,’ Nancy coaxed.
coax somebody into/out of (doing) something
We had to coax Alan into going to school.
coax somebody to do something
We watched the bear coax its cubs to enter the water.
coax somebody down/out/back etc
Firefighters managed to coax the man down from the roof.
2 . to make something such as a machine do something by dealing with it in a slow, patient, and careful way
coax something out of/from/into etc something
He coaxed a fire out of some dry grass and twigs.
The driver coaxed his bus through the snow.
—coaxing noun [uncountable] :
She needs a bit of gentle coaxing.
—coaxingly adverb
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THESAURUS
▪ persuade to make someone decide to do something, especially by giving them reasons why they should do it, or asking them many times to do it:
I persuaded her to change her mind.
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Do you think you can persuade him to lend us the money?
▪ talk somebody into (doing) something to persuade someone to do something, especially something they do not really want to do:
Why did I let you talk me into this?
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He finally talked her into going on a date with him.
▪ get somebody to do something to make someone do something by persuading or asking them:
If we can’t get a taxi I’ll get Joe to pick us up.
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I know how to get you to kiss me.
▪ convince to persuade someone that they should do something, because it is the best or the right thing to do. Some British speakers think this use is incorrect, and prefer to use persuade :
It would be difficult to convince him to move.
▪ encourage to try to persuade someone to do something, especially because you think it will be good for them:
Children should be encouraged to read all kinds of books.
▪ influence to have an effect on what someone decides to do:
What influences you to buy clothes?
▪ coax to persuade someone to do something by talking gently and kindly:
I tried to coax him to eat a little.
▪ cajole /kəˈdʒəʊl $ -ˈdʒoʊl/ to persuade someone to do something by praising them or making promises to them:
He hoped to cajole her into selling her house.
▪ put somebody up to something to persuade or encourage someone to do something wrong or stupid:
Who put you up to this?
▪ dissuade formal to persuade someone not to do something:
How do you dissuade young people from experimenting with drugs?
coax something out of/from somebody phrasal verb
to persuade someone to tell you something or give you something:
I managed to coax some money out of Dad.