Wheedle
/ˈwiːdəl/noun
To coax, persuade, or manipulate someone gently and persistently.
Did you know?Wheedle is likely related to an old dialect word meaning to wheeze or whine, which is why it carries that breathy, pleading, almost spell-casting feel.
Etymological Timeline
16th Century
English
whedlen / wheedle
“To flatter, coax, or beg persistently.”
Middle English
English
whedlen
“To wheeze, pant, or breathe noisily; possibly also to whine or whimper.”
Old English
OE
hwǣsan
“To cough or wheeze.”
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*khwēsaną
“To wheeze or breathe hard.”
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*ḱwes-
“To cough, wheeze, or breathe with difficulty.”