con ‧ vince S3 W3 AC /kənˈvɪns/ BrE AmE verb [transitive]
[ Word Family: adjective : ↑ convinced ≠ ↑ unconvinced , ↑ convincing ≠ ↑ unconvincing ; verb : ↑ convince ; adverb : ↑ convincingly ≠ ↑ unconvincingly ]
[ Date: 1500-1600 ; Language: Latin ; Origin: convincere 'to prove untrue, convict, prove' , from com- ( ⇨ COM- ) + vincere 'to defeat' ]
1 . to make someone feel certain that something is true:
Her arguments didn’t convince everyone, but changes were made.
convince somebody (that)
Baker had to convince jurors that his client had been nowhere near the scene of the murder.
convince somebody of something
The officials were eager to convince us of the safety of the nuclear reactors.
2 . to persuade someone to do something SYN persuade
convince somebody to do something
I’ve been trying to convince Jean to come with me.
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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?