Definitions

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

  • intransitive verb To engage in caressing, petting, or lovemaking.
  • intransitive verb To win over or convince by cajoling or flattering; wheedle.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • To pet; fondle.
  • To paddle (a canoe).
  • To bill and coo; spoon.
  • To go snacks; share the profits.

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

  • verb To caress, touch up, pet or make love
  • verb To persuade or cajole

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

  • verb fondle or pet affectionately

Etymologies

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

[Akin to English dialectal canoodle, donkey, fool, one who is foolish in love.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

Origin Unknown; compare Swedish knulla ("to fornicate"), German knuddeln ("to cuddle"). Folk etymology cites the use of two person canoes as an activity to escape the presence of a chaperon by couples during Victorian and Edwardian times, and the activities such privacy allowed.

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Examples

  • One of the great and repeated users of the word canoodle was the mystery writer John Dickson Carr under his pseudonym Carter Dickson.

    No Uncertain Terms William Safire 2003

  • One of the great and repeated users of the word canoodle was the mystery writer John Dickson Carr under his pseudonym Carter Dickson.

    No Uncertain Terms William Safire 2003

  • One of the great and repeated users of the word canoodle was the mystery writer John Dickson Carr under his pseudonym Carter Dickson.

    No Uncertain Terms William Safire 2003

  • One of the great and repeated users of the word canoodle was the mystery writer John Dickson Carr under his pseudonym Carter Dickson.

    No Uncertain Terms William Safire 2003

  • A pre-Emmy shindig for the Motion Picture and Television Fund, where the hub of all the creators and artists in entertainment that create, well, art and entertainment for basically everything we consume, commence and canoodle for one evening under the stars at an undisclosed location.

    Abigail Spencer: "The Beautiful Barn," aka My LA Emmy Weekend Abigail Spencer 2011

  • But, it turns out, the agency that brought this planet foam mattresses and foamless toothpaste shall continue to receive/collect/canoodle funding.

    NASA: Putting the lure in failure 2009

  • I know family is important, but really leave that whole kit and kaboodle 'til after you've done some canoodle (ing.)

    Meredith Fineman: Fifty First (J)Dates: 5 Places You Should NEVER Go on a First Date. Meredith Fineman 2010

  • The "Progress of Love," depicting the course of love among elegantly dressed, handsome young men and women who flirt, tryst, pose and canoodle in a lush garden, was completed and installed in 1772.

    The Path of 'Progress' Karen Wilkin 2011

  • I know family is important, but really leave that whole kit and kaboodle 'til after you've done some canoodle (ing.)

    Meredith Fineman: Fifty First (J)Dates: 5 Places You Should NEVER Go on a First Date. Meredith Fineman 2010

  • A pre-Emmy shindig for the Motion Picture and Television Fund, where the hub of all the creators and artists in entertainment that create, well, art and entertainment for basically everything we consume, commence and canoodle for one evening under the stars at an undisclosed location.

    Abigail Spencer: "The Beautiful Barn," aka My LA Emmy Weekend Abigail Spencer 2011

Comments

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  • "So I was canoodling my cat last night..."

    August 7, 2008

  • Ah, kit and kanoodle.

    August 8, 2008