I. ˈwü verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
Etymology: Middle English wowen, from Old English wōgian; perhaps akin to Latin vovēre to vow — more at vow
transitive verb
1. : to solicit in love : sue for the affection of and usually marriage with : court
could woo her and win her — Theodor Reik
2. : to solicit or entreat especially with ingratiating importunity : beseech solicitously
the young author trying to woo his reader, via heavy humor — Frances Keene
3. : to seek to gain or bring aboutact in such a way as to tend to bring about
feels entitled to all the dollars it can woo from the public — Jerome Ellison
4. : to tend to bring about unintentionally
wooing defeat — Florence Converse
intransitive verb
1. : to court a woman : make love
2. : to make pleading solicitation or invitation
II. noun
( -s )
: love — used especially in the phrase pitch woo
III. intransitive verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
Etymology: origin unknown
: mah-jongg