Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • intransitive verb To persuade by flattery, gentle pleading, or insincere language.
  • intransitive verb To elicit or obtain by flattery, gentle pleading, or insincere language.
  • intransitive verb To use flattery, pleading, or insincere language in an attempt to persuade someone to do something.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • To deceive or delude by flattery, specious promises, simulated compliance with another's wishes, and the like; wheedle; coax.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • intransitive verb To deceive with flattery or fair words; to wheedle.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • verb transitive To persuade someone to do something which they are reluctant to do, often by flattery; to coax.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • verb influence or urge by gentle urging, caressing, or flattering

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[French cajoler, possibly blend of Old French cageoler, to chatter like a jay (from geai, jai, jay; see jay) and Old French gaioler, to lure into a cage (from gaiole, jaiole, cage; see jail).]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From French cajoler.

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Examples

  • Why are our trained warriors risking their lives to "cajole" a vindictive Shia government to help poor Sunni squatters?

    Archive 2007-04-01 2007

  • And then kind of cajole and push and say why certain things should work and certain things wouldn't work.

    BusinessWeek.com -- Top News 2011

  • And then kind of cajole and push and say why certain things should work and certain things wouldn't work.

    BusinessWeek.com -- Top News 2011

  • Austin's comment reflects the fact that software companies like IBM and Microsoft usually "cajole" their customers into buying more licences than they need - hence the difference between software sold versus software used.

    Moneycontrol Top Headlines Moneycontrol.com editor@moneycontrol.com 2010

  • Scotland on Sunday understands that Hazel Blears, who resigned from the Cabinet on Wednesday, attempted to "cajole" several other ministers to quit on Thursday in a bid to force Brown out.

    unknown title 2009

  • "cajole" companies, power ultimately lay with consumers, who should reject products which failed to meet the guidelines.

    The Independent - Frontpage RSS Feed 2010

  • Erpenbach responded that Fitzgerald repeatedly overreached in his efforts to cajole the Democrats back to Madison.

    Wisconsin Senate Democrats defend absence 2011

  • Egypt's Hosni Mubarak is pragmatic in using his cache to cajole the parties to the negotiating table, yet is unwilling to align himself too closely with the United States or to expend too much political capital on the peace process.

    Richard Eisendorf: Who Will Be the Next Sadat? Richard Eisendorf 2010

  • Egypt's Hosni Mubarak is pragmatic in using his cache to cajole the parties to the negotiating table, yet is unwilling to align himself too closely with the United States or to expend too much political capital on the peace process.

    Richard Eisendorf: Who Will Be the Next Sadat? Richard Eisendorf 2010

  • And it will take strong inducements to cajole creditors into accepting an exchange.

    Plan Focuses on Rescheduling of Greek Debt Matthew Dalton 2011

Comments

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  • bluejay talk

    February 9, 2007

  • A fuller definition from the American Heritage Dictionary:

    (v.t.)

    1. To persuade by flattery, gentle pleading, or insincere language.

    2. To elicit or obtain by flattery, gentle pleading, or insincere language: The athlete cajoled a signing bonus out of the team's owner.

    July 24, 2011