Cajole
/kəˈdʒoʊl/noun
To persuade someone with flattering or coaxing talk.
Did you know?The word likely passed through French slang where it was linked to the idea of a bird in a cage, making persuasion feel like a kind of verbal confinement.
Etymological Timeline
16th Century
French
cajoler
“to coax, flatter, or chatter pleasantly”
16th Century
French
cage
“a cage; enclosure for birds or animals”
Late 16th Century
English
cajole
“to coax or wheedle by flattery”
Modern English
English
cajole
“to persuade by flattery or gentle urging”