基本释义

[verb] gently and persistently persuade (someone) to do something
[动词] 温和且坚持不懈地说服(某人)做某事

深入解读

Coax 一词词源不详,最早出现于1581年,用来表示“爱抚、抚弄”,不过这个含义现已不再流行。

等到了17世纪60年代后, coax 才开始发展出现在的主要含义指“哄劝、劝诱”,即温和、友善、耐心且坚持不懈地说服某人做某事或去某个地方,比如:

  • 哄婴儿一笑
    coax a smile from a baby
  • 她把那顾客哄得高高兴兴。
    She coaxed the customer into good humour.
  • 他们正缓慢艰难地进行着谈判。一个唱红脸,一个唱白脸。
    They are plodding on with negotiations. One coaxes, the other coerces.

而短语动词 coax sth out of sb 或者 coax sth from sb 则相应表示“连哄带劝地得到”,比如:

  • 他退休之后又被力劝出山帮助行将倒闭的公司。
    He was coaxed out of retirement to help the moribund company.

从耐心劝诱这个概念出发, coax 还被用来引申指“耐心地摆弄”,也就是以极大的毅力并付出相当大的努力,通过非常缓慢和温和的操作来实现所需的状态或活动,比如:

  • 小心翼翼地把火弄旺
    coax a fire to burn
  • 他会大步走上舞台,然后轻轻地拉他的小提琴,奏出美妙动听的曲调。
    He would stride on stage then proceed to coax the sweetest possible sounds out of his fiddle.

值得注意的是,在口语中 coax 也常用来简称“同轴电缆(coaxial cable)”。过去看电视常用的闭路线就是一种较为常见的同轴电缆。

图书例句

Who has not seen a woman hide the dullness of a stupid husband, or coax the fury of a savage one? We accept this amiable slavishness, and praise a woman for it; we call this pretty treachery truth.
丈夫太愚蠢,做妻子的会想法替他遮掩;丈夫太凶横,做妻子的会甜言蜜语地叫他息怒,这样的情形谁没有见过?我们做男人的看到她们这样低眉顺眼,便大加赞扬,把这种粉饰过的伪诈称作忠诚。
出自十九世纪英国批判现实主义作家威廉·梅克比斯·萨克雷(William Makepeace Thackeray)创作的长篇小说《名利场》(Vanity Fair)。

外刊例句

  • Some personalities are immediately comfortable saying what they think; others need to be coaxed to share their opinions.
    有些性格的人能够随时自如地说出自己的想法,而有些人要在循循诱导之下才能分享观点。
    ——《经济学人》
  • If I’m ever in a similar situation again, I’ll know that you don’t have to try to coax somebody out of depression.
    如果我再遇到类似的情况,我就会知道你不必试图哄某人摆脱抑郁。
    ——《纽约时报》

常见短语

coax” 是指劝诱、哄骗、巧言诱导等,通常用来表示通过温和的方式说服或引导某人做某事。以下是包含单词“coax”的50个短语,以及它们的中文解释:

  1. coax a smile: 哄笑
  2. coax out of: 哄取
  3. coax into doing: 哄着做
  4. coax gently: 温和地劝诱
  5. coax with promises: 用承诺劝诱
  6. coax with treats: 用食物哄
  7. coax with praise: 用赞美哄
  8. coax with persuasion: 用说服劝诱
  9. coax with flattery: 用奉承劝诱
  10. coax a child: 哄小孩
  11. coax someone along: 劝导某人
  12. coax a pet: 哄宠物
  13. coax gently: 温和地引导
  14. coax a confession: 哄供认
  15. coax a secret out of: 哄出秘密
  16. coax a decision: 哄决定
  17. coax with kindness: 以友善劝诱
  18. coax a reluctant friend: 劝导不情愿的朋友
  19. coax out of hiding: 哄出藏匿
  20. coax a response: 哄回应
  21. coax cooperation: 劝导合作
  22. coax a shy person: 哄害羞的人
  23. coax someone’s approval: 哄取某人的批准
  24. coax a hesitant employee: 劝导犹豫的员工
  25. coax with humor: 用幽默哄
  26. coax with a promise: 用承诺引导
  27. coax a reaction: 哄反应
  28. coax with understanding: 用理解劝诱
  29. coax a decision from: 哄决定
  30. coax with charm: 用魅力哄
  31. coax a solution: 哄解决方案
  32. coax someone’s support: 劝导某人的支持
  33. coax with patience: 用耐心哄
  34. coax an answer: 哄回答案
  35. coax someone to open up: 劝导某人敞开心扉
  36. coax cooperation from: 哄合作
  37. coax a confession from: 哄供认
  38. coax a cat: 哄猫
  39. coax someone to participate: 劝导某人参与
  40. coax with sweet words: 用甜言蜜语哄
  41. coax with gifts: 用礼物哄
  42. coax a reluctant customer: 劝导不情愿的顾客
  43. coax someone out of their shell: 劝导某人走出舒适区
  44. coax a friend into an adventure: 劝导朋友参与冒险
  45. coax a confession out of someone: 哄取某人的供认
  46. coax a decision out of: 哄决定
  47. coax with praise and encouragement: 用赞美和鼓励哄
  48. coax a solution from: 哄解决方案
  49. coax with a smile: 以微笑哄
  50. coax a compromise: 哄妥协

同近义词

cajole: persuade (someone) to do something by sustained coaxing or flattery
lure: tempt (a person or animal) to do something or to go somewhere, especially by offering some form of reward
wheedle: use flattery or coaxing in order to persuade someone to do something or give one something

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