4/22/11

New Word A Day .com
coax

Pronounced: 
<cokes>

To make someone do something by telling them they are great.
For example: "I need the report by tomorrow. You are the only one who is smart enough to do it."
To persuade someone or something. For example:

"Happiness is like a cat, If you try to coax it or call it, it will avoid you; it will never come. But if you pay not attention to it and go about your business, you'll find it rubbing against your legs and jumping into your lap." ~ William John Bennett

A person or an animal can be coaxed... but so can a thing. For example:

"Habit is habit and not to be flung out of the window by any man, but coaxed downstairs a step at a time." ~ Mark Twain

In the example... habit is coaxed... which means to make something become a habit slowly... a little at a time.

So when we coax something... we are doing it gently and slowly.  The thing that we coax does not want to do what we want, but slowly it does. 

So... you can say:
"I will coax him into making the report for us. I know he does not want to do it. But, if I keep asking, he will do it."

Listen: Coax


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