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：
- coax a smile: 哄笑
- coax out of: 哄取
- coax into doing: 哄着做
- coax gently: 温和地劝诱
- coax with promises: 用承诺劝诱
- coax with treats: 用食物哄
- coax with praise: 用赞美哄
- coax with persuasion: 用说服劝诱
- coax with flattery: 用奉承劝诱
- coax a child: 哄小孩
- coax someone along: 劝导某人
- coax a pet: 哄宠物
- coax gently: 温和地引导
- coax a confession: 哄供认
- coax a secret out of: 哄出秘密
- coax a decision: 哄决定
- coax with kindness: 以友善劝诱
- coax a reluctant friend: 劝导不情愿的朋友
- coax out of hiding: 哄出藏匿
- coax a response: 哄回应
- coax cooperation: 劝导合作
- coax a shy person: 哄害羞的人
- coax someone’s approval: 哄取某人的批准
- coax a hesitant employee: 劝导犹豫的员工
- coax with humor: 用幽默哄
- coax with a promise: 用承诺引导
- coax a reaction: 哄反应
- coax with understanding: 用理解劝诱
- coax a decision from: 哄决定
- coax with charm: 用魅力哄
- coax a solution: 哄解决方案
- coax someone’s support: 劝导某人的支持
- coax with patience: 用耐心哄
- coax an answer: 哄回答案
- coax someone to open up: 劝导某人敞开心扉
- coax cooperation from: 哄合作
- coax a confession from: 哄供认
- coax a cat: 哄猫
- coax someone to participate: 劝导某人参与
- coax with sweet words: 用甜言蜜语哄
- coax with gifts: 用礼物哄
- coax a reluctant customer: 劝导不情愿的顾客
- coax someone out of their shell: 劝导某人走出舒适区
- coax a friend into an adventure: 劝导朋友参与冒险
- coax a confession out of someone: 哄取某人的供认
- coax a decision out of: 哄决定
- coax with praise and encouragement: 用赞美和鼓励哄
- coax a solution from: 哄解决方案
- coax with a smile: 以微笑哄
- 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
