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# coax

verb (coax, coaxes, coaxed, coaxing); noun (coax — short for coaxial cable, technical)

«coax» in the English dictionary: everyday — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. To persuade someone gently and patiently to do something. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/coax/#m1)
2. To get something to work or move by careful, gentle effort: «coax the fire into life». [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/coax/#m2)
3. (technical, noun) A short form of «coaxial cable», a TV or aerial cable. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/coax/#m3)

### In the lessons

Common in stories and everyday life: coaxing a shy cat out from under a bed, coaxing a younger child to eat vegetables. It shows kind, patient persuasion rather than force. Phrases: «coax out», «coax into», «coax a smile».

### Examples

- She coaxed the kitten out from under the sofa with some milk. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/coax/#x1)
- Dad coaxed the old car into starting. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/coax/#x2)
- We coaxed my little brother into trying the broccoli. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/coax/#x3)
- The Rat coaxed the Mole back to sleep. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/coax/#x4)
- He coaxed a smile from the crying baby. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/coax/#x5)
- Gran coaxed the fire back into life with dry sticks. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/coax/#x6)
- The TV aerial is joined with a coax cable. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/coax/#x7)
- So she tried to coax the boy into going at once to bed: [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/coax/#x8)

### Note

Pronounced KOHKS, one syllable. Coax is gentle; «force» or «make» is not. Similar: persuade, sweet-talk, encourage.

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «coax» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/coax/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«coax» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/coax.html) on Mova free.