Cajole

verb/kəˈd͡ʒoʊl/rhetoric

Definition

Persuade someone to do something by sustained coaxing or flattery.

Etymology

Borrowed from French cajoler, probably a blend of Middle French cageoler (“chatter like a jay”) (from gajole, dialectal diminutive of geai (“jaybird”)) + Old French gaioler (“entice into a cage”), which is from Medieval Latin gabiola, from Late Latin caveola (whence English caveola), diminutive of Latin cavea (“cage, coop, enclosure, stall”). More at cage, cave, cavum, cavus, and jail.

Synonyms

butter up, coax, entice, inveigle, sweet-talk

In a sentence

She cajoled the team into one more sprint before the deadline.