I. ˈhwēd ə l also ˈwē- verb
( wheedled ; wheedled ; wheedling -d( ə )liŋ ; wheedles )
Etymology: origin unknown
transitive verb
1.
a. : to influence or inveigle by soft words or flattery : coax , cajole
how she wheedled him — W.S.Gilbert
many of whom had to be wheedled … and coddled for weeks before they could be persuaded — New York Times
b. : to allure, draw, or induce by wheedling — usually used with into
wheedles me into feeling fond of her in spite of myself — G.B.Shaw
no hucksters to wheedle you into buying souvenirs — Frederick Nebel
had threatened and wheedled hundreds of heathens into Christianity — Vicki Baum
2.
a. : to gain or get away by wheedling
the first move of any politician … was to wheedle the editorial backing of some newspaper — W.A.Swanberg
— usually used with from or out of
wheedle s a couple of dollars house money from him — H.H.Reichard
wheedled consent from them — C.V.Little
have scrounged and begged … in an effort to wheedle money out of the American public — A.J.Daley
young herons … wheedle a meal out of mother after fledging — National Geographic
b. : to get or take something from by wheedling — usually used with out of
had wheedled the … woman out of her geraniums — Mary Austin
wheedle you out of a horse — J.B.Cabell
intransitive verb
: to use soft words or flattery
when he chose to wheedle , was hard to resist — John Buchan
•
- wheedle one's way
II. noun
( -s )
: an act or instance of wheedling