verb
cajole
Cajole (verb) means to gently talk someone into doing something they don't really want to do, often with compliments or promises.
verb
1
To gently talk someone into doing something they don't really want to do, often with compliments or promises.
"For weeks, the White House, the Pentagon and Senate Democrats have been working overtime to cajole, convince and placate Republicans."
— Michael Scherer, NonSTARTer? Obama's Troubled Nuclear Treaty (2010)
"Schulman, general manager of the "G. F. C.," had been sending out messengers to hunt for him, and finally had got him in his office, arguing and pleading, cajoling and denouncing him by turns."
— Upton Sinclair (1917)
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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.
Related words
Rhymes for cajole
See all rhymes for cajole →Frequently asked questions
What is the meaning of cajole?
"cajole" (verb) means to gently talk someone into doing something they don't really want to do, often with compliments or promises.
What is another word for cajole?
Other words for "cajole" include palaver, inveigle, wheedle, coax, blarney.
