Word of the Day for Wednesday November 30, 2005 wheedle \HWEE-d'l; WEE-d'l\, transitive verb: 1. To entice by soft words or flattery; to coax. 2. To gain or get by flattery or guile. intransitive verb: To flatter; to use soft words. Editors who wished to carry original work rather than reprints found it necessary to wheedle contributions from readers by decrying inexperience as a reason for not taking up the pen and by offering prizes for submissions. -- Ronald Weber, [1]Hired Pens When Wayne and I first moved here, the settlers living within twenty miles were consumed with curiosity about our relationship, and one of 'em tried to wheedle a little matrimonial information out of me. --Christine Wiltz, [2]The Last Madam He knew what it looked like to seduce, to intimidate, to wheedle, and to console; to strike a pose or preach a sermon. --Simon Schama, [3]Rembrandt's Eyes _________________________________________________________ The origin of wheedle is uncertain; it is perhaps from Old English wædlian, "to beg, to be a beggar," from wædl, "want, poverty." Synonyms: blarney, cajole, coax, sweet-talk. [4]Find more at Thesaurus.com References 1. http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0821412051/ref=nosim/lexico 2. http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0306810123/ref=nosim/lexico 3. http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0375709819/ref=nosim/lexico 4. http://thesaurus.reference.com/search?q=wheedle Dictionary.com Entry and Pronunciation http://dictionary.reference.com/search?r=9&q=wheedle