wheedle

== English == === Etymology === 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 (Can this(+) etymology be sourced?), 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. (This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium. Particularly: “What is the origin of the "wh"?”) === Pronunciation === (without the wine–whine merger) IPA(key): /ˈʍiː.dəl/ (wine–whine merger) IPA(key): /ˈwiː.dəl/ Rhymes: -iːdəl === Verb === wheedle (third-person singular simple present wheedles, present participle wheedling, simple past and past participle wheedled) (ambitransitive) To cajole or attempt to persuade by flattery. Synonyms: butter up, inveigle, sweet-talk; see also Thesaurus:coax (transitive) To obtain by flattery, guile, or trickery. ==== Derived terms ==== wheedler wheedling wheedlesome ==== Translations ==== === Noun === wheedle (plural wheedles) (archaic) A coaxing person. === Anagrams === wheeled