wheedle

Wheedle is defined as to get something through flattery.

(verb)

An example of to wheedle is for a person to get money from a boyfriend by telling him how handsome and loving he is.

See wheedle in Webster's New World College Dictionary

transitive verb, intransitive verb wheedled, wheedling

Origin: 17th-c. cant < ? Ger wedeln, to wag the tail, fan, hence to flatter < wedel, a fan, tail

Related Forms:

See wheedle in American Heritage Dictionary 4

verb whee·dled, whee·dling, whee·dles

verb, transitive

To persuade or attempt to persuade by flattery or guile; cajole.
To obtain through the use of flattery or guile: a swindler who wheedled my life savings out of me.

verb, intransitive

To use flattery or cajolery to achieve one's ends.

Origin:

Origin: Origin unknown

Related Forms:

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