1. gently and persistently persuade (someone) to do something: "the trainees were coaxed into doing boring work"
▪ obtain something from (someone) by gentle and persistent persuasion: "we coaxed money out of my father"
▪ arrange (something) carefully into a particular shape or position:"her lovely hair had been coaxed into ringlets"
Word Originlate 16th century: from obsolete cokes ‘simpleton’, of unknown origin. The original sense was ‘fondle’, hence ‘persuade by caresses or flattery’, the underlying sense being ‘make a simpleton of’.
