coax

Meanings

Verb

• To fondle, kid, pet, tease.
• To wheedle or persuade (a person, organisation, animal etc.) gradually or by use of flattery to do something.
• To carefully manipulate (someone or something) into a particular desired state, situation or position.

Noun

• A simpleton; a dupe.

Adjective

• Short form of coaxial

Related

Similar words

• cajole, canoodle, persuade, wheedle
• ease

Origin

• originally (1586) in the slang phrase to make a coax of, from earlier noun coax, cox, cokes "fool, simpleton", itself of obscure origin, perhaps related to cock. The modern spelling is from 1706.
• Shortened from coaxial