Word of the Day: CAJOLE
To wheedle or coax
cajole (verb) - to persuade, entice, or overcome resistance with flattery or gentle urging [kuh-johl]
cajolery is the act of using flattery, promises, or pleasantries to persuade (also cajolement)
BREAKDOWN: Cajole is an interesting word created from a combination of Old and Middle French words: cageoler meaning chatter like a jay (jays are very chatty) and gaioler meaning entice into a cage. Tracing its origins back to Latin connects cajole to a suite of imprisonment words like cage, jail, and gaol, which all ultimately descend from the root CAV- meaning hole or vault.
"They have no power over you. It's all a show, a deception. Your urges scream and bluster at you; they cajole; they coax; they threaten; but they really carry no stick at all. You give in out of habit." —Henepola Gunaratana
[Our Wednesday Wildcards are fascinating and important words that are not necessarily derived from classical roots.]