cajole
UK[kəˈdʒəʊl]US[kəˈdʒoʊl]
v
to persuade someone to do something by sustained coaxing or flattery.
v
to obtain something from someone by such methods.
Etymology
the word 'cajole' entered english in the mid-17th century from the french verb 'cajoler', meaning 'to chatter like a jay in a cage, to flatter'. the french term likely has its origins in a blend of two ideas. one potential source is the old french term 'gaioler', meaning 'to put in a cage', from 'gaiole' (cage), which is related to 'jail'. the other is the onomatopoeic 'cajole', imitating the sound of a bird's chatter. the semantic evolution moved from the literal sense of a caged bird's insistent noise to the figurative sense of persistent, wheedling talk intended to coax or deceive. this journey captures the logic of moving from a specific, concrete action (a bird's chatter) to an abstract human social behavior (flattering persuasion).
Analysis
this word is a loanword from french and is not productively formed from separable morphemes in modern english.
Examples
she managed to cajole her brother into lending her the car.
the children tried to cajole their parents into letting them stay up late.
he used his charm to cajole the information out of the reluctant witness.