different between cajole vs cuddle

English

Etymology

Borrowed from French cajoler, probably a blend of Middle French cageoler (“chatter like a jay”) (from gajole, dialectal diminutive of geai (“jaybird”)) + Old French gaioler (“entice into a cage”), which is from Medieval Latin gabiola, from Late Latin caveola, diminutive of Latin cavea (“cage, coop, enclosure, stall”).

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /k??d???l/
• (US) enPR: k?-j?l?, IPA^(key): /k??d?o?l/
• Rhymes: -??l
• Hyphenation: ca?jole

Verb

cajole (third-person singular simple present cajoles, present participle cajoling, simple past and past participle cajoled)

1. (transitive and intransitive) To persuade someone to do something which they are reluctant to do, especially by flattery or promises; to coax.

   Synonyms: butter up, coax, entice, inveigle, sweet-talk, wheedle

   • 1722, Daniel Defoe, Moll Flanders, ch. 12:

     Then he cajoled with his brother, and persuaded him what service he had done him.

   • 1820, Sir Walter Scott, The Abbot, ch. 27:

     If you are cajoled by the cunning arguments of a trumpeter of heresy, or the praises of a puritanic old woman, is not that womanish?

   • 1894, Horatio Alger, Only An Irish Boy, ch. 19:

     He had tried bullying, and without success. He would try cajoling and temptation.

   • 1898, Gilbert Parker, The Battle Of The Strong, ch. 37:

     [W]ith eloquent arts he had cajoled a young girl into a secret marriage.

   • 1917, Upton Sinclair, King Coal, ch. 8:

     Schulman, general manager of the "G. F. C.," had been sending out messengers to hunt for him, and finally had got him in his office, arguing and pleading, cajoling and denouncing him by turns.

   • 2010 August 4, Michael Scherer, "NonSTARTer? Obama's Troubled Nuclear Treaty," Time:

     For weeks, the White House, the Pentagon and Senate Democrats have been working overtime to cajole, convince and placate Republicans.

Derived terms

• cajoler

Translations

French

Verb

cajole

1. first-person singular present indicative of cajoler
2. third-person singular present indicative of cajoler
3. first-person singular present subjunctive of cajoler
4. third-person singular present subjunctive of cajoler
5. second-person singular imperative of cajoler

English

Etymology

Origin uncertain, but probably from a frequentative form of Middle English *cudden, cuththen, keththen (“to embrace”), a variant of cuthen, kuthen, kithen (“to be familiar with, make known”), from Middle English cuth, couth (“known, familiar”), equivalent to couth +? -le. Cognate with Middle Dutch kudden (“to come together, flock together”). More at couth.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?k?d.l?/
• Rhymes: -?d?l

Noun

cuddle (plural cuddles)

1. A snuggle; an affectionate embrace, often given to family members and close friends.

Translations

Verb

cuddle (third-person singular simple present cuddles, present participle cuddling, simple past and past participle cuddled)

1. (intransitive) To embrace affectionately, lie together snugly.

   The young lovers cuddled on the couch.

2. (transitive) To cradle in one's arms so as to give comfort, warmth.

   She cuddled the infant before bedtime.

   I'm cold; can you roll over here and cuddle me, honey?

3. To lie close or snug; to crouch; to nestle.
   • 1717, Matthew Prior, The Dove

     She cuddles low behind the brake; / Nor would she stay, nor dares she fly.

Derived terms

Translations

Anagrams

• dulced