wheedle
Meaning
-
- To cajole or attempt to persuade by flattery.
- To obtain by flattery, guile, or trickery.
Synonyms
curry favour with
make up to
make much of
worm oneself into smb.’s favour
worm oneself into smb.’s good graces
fawn on
fawn upon
truckle to
be deceitful
endear oneself to
flatter for a favour
pamper spoil coddle
plead with sweet words
talk amorously
talk sweetly
ingratiate ''oneself with so.''
curry favour ''with so.''
conciliate
endear
Pronounced as (IPA)
/ˈʍiː.dəl/
Etymology
In summary
Uncertain. Perhaps continuing Middle English wedlen (“to beg, ask for alms”), from Old English wǣdlian (“to be poor, be needy, be in want, beg”), from Proto-Germanic *wēþlōną (“to be in need”). Alternatively , borrowed from German wedeln (“to wag one's tail”), from Middle High German wedelen, a byform of Middle High German wadelen (“to wander, waver, wave, whip, stroke, flutter”), from Old High German wādalōn (“to wander, roam, rove”). In this case, it may be a doublet of waddle, or an independently formed etymological equivalent. The ⟨wh⟩ spelling (reflecting pronunciations with /ʍ/) is apparently unetymological.
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Notes