different between gyp vs coax

English

Etymology 1

Perhaps from the term gypsy (“Roma”), due to a stereotype of the Roma as swindlers. Compare jew (“defraud”), from Jew, and welsh (“swindle by defaulting on a debt”), from Welsh.

Alternative forms

• gip, jip (eye dialect spellings)

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /d???p/
• Rhymes: -?p

Noun

gyp (plural gyps)

1. (derogatory, sometimes offensive) A cheat or swindle; a rip-off.

   Why do we have to buy this new edition of the textbook when there’s almost no difference between it and the previous one? What a gyp!

2. Synonym of gypsy (“contra dance step”)

Usage notes

Because this term is often considered to derive from the exonymic term Gypsy and represent a racist stereotype of the Romani, it may be offensive. See the usage note about gypsy.

Translations

Verb

gyp (third-person singular simple present gyps, present participle gypping, simple past and past participle gypped)

1. (derogatory, sometimes offensive) To cheat or swindle someone or something inappropriately.

   The cab driver gypped me out of ten bucks by taking the longer route.

   You better watch out; they'll try to gyp you if you don't know what you're doing.

Usage notes

See the notes about the noun, above.

Etymology 2

Perhaps the same as Etymology 1. An earlier theory derived the term from Ancient Greek ??? (gúps, “vulture”) (/?ýps/; compare Greek ????? (gýpas) /??i.pas/), "in reference to thievish habits of the servants" (and then derived Etymology 1 thence), but this does not explain the pronunciation.

Noun

gyp (plural gyps)

1. (Cambridge and Durham, England, now chiefly historical) A college servant, one who would attend upon a number of students, brushing their clothes, carrying parcels, waiting at parties and other tasks, distinct from a college porter or bedder.
   • 1887, H. Rider Haggard, She: A History of Adventure, 1919, Longmans, page 15,

     'Why, what is the matter with you, John?' I asked of the gyp who waited on Vincey and myself.

   • 1907, E.M. Forster, The Longest Journey, Part I, I [Uniform ed., p. 14]:

     Had he acted discourteously to his bedmaker or his gyp, he would have minded just as much … .

2. (Cambridge and Durham, England) The room in which such college servants work.
3. (Cambridge and Durham, England) A small kitchen for use by college students.

Etymology 3

Shortening.

Noun

gyp (plural gyps)

1. Gypsophila.

Etymology 4

Perhaps from gee up.

Noun

gyp (plural gyps)

1. Pain or discomfort.

   My back's giving me gyp.

See also

• jew down
• welsh

References

• Gyp: Thieve, World Wide Words
• Etymology of "Gyp" / "gypped", Vocaboly.com

English

Etymology 1

originally (1586) in the slang phrase to make a coax of, from earlier noun coax, cox, cokes "fool, simpleton", itself of obscure origin, perhaps related to cock (“male bird, pert boy”). The modern spelling is from 1706.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /k??ks/
• (US) enPR: k?ks, IPA^(key): /ko?ks/
• Homophones: Cokes, cokes

Verb

coax (third-person singular simple present coaxes, present participle coaxing, simple past and past participle coaxed)

1. (obsolete) To fondle, kid, pet, tease.
2. (transitive) To wheedle or persuade (a person, organisation, animal etc.) gradually or by use of flattery to do something.
   • 12 July 2012, Sam Adams, AV Club Ice Age: Continental Drift

     On paper, Continental Drift boasts a jaw-dropping voice cast, including but not limited to Jennifer Lopez, Patrick Stewart, Wanda Sykes, Aziz Ansari, Simon Pegg, Nick Frost, Nicki Minaj, Drake, and Alan Tudyk. But in practice, the overstuffed ensemble leaves the cast no room to distinguish themselves, and directors Steve Martino and Michael Thurmeier don’t seem interested in coaxing performances that might render their money stars less identifiable.

3. (transitive) To carefully manipulate (someone or something) into a particular desired state, situation or position.

Synonyms

• (to fondle): caress, grope, touch up; see also Thesaurus:fondle
• (persuade gradually): cajole, canoodle, persuade, wheedle
• (manipulate carefully into position): ease

Translations

Noun

coax (plural coaxes)

1. (obsolete) A simpleton; a dupe.

   • Go, you're a brainless Coax, a Toy, a Fop, I'll go no farther than your Name, Sir Gregory

Etymology 2

Shortened from coaxial

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /?k??æks/
• (US) enPR: k???ks, IPA^(key): /ko?æks/

Noun

coax (countable and uncountable, plural coaxes)

1. Short for coaxial cable.

Adjective

coax (not comparable)

1. Clipping of coaxial.

Translations

References

• Douglas Harper (2001–2021) , “coax”, in Online Etymology Dictionary

Anagrams

• coxa

French

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /k?.aks/

Noun

coax m (plural coax)

1. coax (coaxial cable)

Synonyms

• coaxial
• câble coaxial