wheedle Meaning, Definition & Usage

verb influence or urge by gentle urging, caressing, or flattering
coax; inveigle; cajole; sweet-talk; blarney; palaver.
- He palavered her into going along

Cf. G. wedeln to wag with the tail, as a dog, wedel a fan, tail, brush, OHG. wadal; akin to G. wehen to blow, and E. wind, n.

imperfect & past participle Wheedled ; present participle & verbal noun Wheedling

To entice by soft words; to cajole; to flatter; to coax.
The unlucky art of wheedling fools. Dryden.

And wheedle a world that loves him not. Tennyson.
To grain, or get away, by flattery.
A deed of settlement of the best part of her estate, which I wheedled out of her. Congreve.