blandish

== English == === Etymology === From Middle English blaundishen (“to flatter; to fawn; to be enticing or persuasive; to be favourable; of the sea: to become calm”) [and other forms], from Anglo-Norman blaundishen, from blandiss-, the extended stem of Middle French blandir + Middle English -ishen (suffix forming verbs). Blandir is derived from Latin blandīrī (“to fawn, flatter; to delude”), from blandus (“fawning, flattering, smooth, suave; persuasive; alluring, enticing, seductive; agreeable, pleasant”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *(s)mel- (“erroneous, false; bad, evil”)) + -iō (suffix forming causative verbs from adjectives). The English word is analysable as bland +‎ -ish; compare bland (“agreeable, pleasant, suave; mild, soothing”). === Pronunciation === (Received Pronunciation, General American) enPR: blăndĭsh, IPA(key): /ˈblændɪʃ/ Rhymes: -ændɪʃ Hyphenation: bland‧ish === Verb === blandish (third-person singular simple present blandishes, present participle blandishing, simple past and past participle blandished) (transitive) To persuade someone by using flattery; to cajole. Synonyms: inveigle, sweet-talk, wheedle; see also Thesaurus:coax (transitive) To praise someone dishonestly; to flatter or butter up. ==== Derived terms ==== blandisher blandishment ==== Translations ==== === References ===