Borrowed from French cajoler, probably a blend of Middle French cageoler (“chatter like a jay”) (from gajole, dialectal diminutive of geai (“jaybird”)) + Old French gaioler (“entice into a cage”), which is from Medieval Latin gabiola, from Late Latin caveola (whence English caveola), diminutive of Latin cavea (“cage, coop, enclosure, stall”). More at cage, cave, cavum, cavus, and jail.
Borrowed from French cajoler, probably a blend of Middle French cageoler (“chatter like a jay”) (from gajole, dialectal diminutive of geai (“jaybird”)) + Old French gaioler (“entice into a cage”), which is from Medieval Latin gabiola, from Late Latin caveola (whence English caveola), diminutive of Latin cavea (“cage, coop, enclosure, stall”). More at cage, cave, cavum, cavus, and jail.
Meanings
(ambitransitive) To persuade someone to do something which they are reluctant to do, especially by flattery or promises; to coax.
Then he Cajol'd vvith his Brother, and perſvvaded him vvhat Service he had done him, […] 1722 (indicated as 1721), [Daniel Defoe], The Fortunes and Misfortunes of the Famous Moll Flanders, &c. […], London: […] W[illiam Rufus] Chetwood, […]; and T. Edling, […], published 1722, →OCLC, page 64:
For weeks, the White House, the Pentagon and Senate Democrats have been working overtime to cajole, convince and placate Republicans. 2010 August 4, Michael Scherer, “NonSTARTer? Obama's Troubled Nuclear Treaty”, in Time:
At President Donald Trump’s cajoling, the [Texas] map [for congressional seats] was adopted with the goal of improving the odds that Republicans would gain five more seats in next year’s midterms than they would have if Texas kept the map used since the 2020 census. 2025 December 22, Edward Foley, “Redistricting cases head for rock bottom”, in SCOTUSblog:
He had tried bullying, and without success. He would try cajoling and temptation. 1894, Horatio Alger, chapter 19, in Only An Irish Boy:
Schulman, general manager of the "G. F. C.," had been sending out messengers to hunt for him, and finally had got him in his office, arguing and pleading, cajoling and denouncing him by turns. 1917, Upton Sinclair, chapter 8, in King Coal:
If you are cajoled by the cunning arguments of a trumpeter of heresy, or the praises of a puritanic old woman, is not that womanish? 1820, [Walter Scott], chapter I, in The Abbot. […], volume III, Edinburgh: […] [James Ballantyne & Co.] for Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme, and Brown, […]; and for Archibald Constable and Company, and John Ballantyne, […], →OCLC, page 26:
But the wife was visibly unimpressed by Ms. Baskin’s half-furnished home (they had just moved in) and thrown-together spaghetti dinner. “It was basically clear that his wife had been cajoled into attending,” said Ms. Baskin, 33. “She settled on to our rickety Ikea kitchen chairs like she was lowering herself into a coal mine.” 2012 July 13, Alex Williams, “Why Is It Hard to Make Friends Over 30?”, in New York Times:
[W]ith eloquent arts he had cajoled a young girl into a secret marriage. 1898, Gilbert Parker, chapter 37, in The Battle Of The Strong:
hu rábeszél (to encourage or persuade by effort) · mi eneene (to encourage or persuade by effort) · mi ene (to encourage or persuade by effort) · hu gazsulál (to encourage or persuade by effort) · es encatusar (to encourage or persuade by effort) · ja 丸め込む (to encourage or persuade by effort) · ja 丸める (to encourage or persuade by effort) · pl przymilić się (to encourage or persuade by effort) · cy swcro (to encourage or persuade by effort) · pt bajular (to encourage or persuade by effort) · la sublectō (to encourage or persuade by effort) · ja 賺す (to encourage or persuade by effort) · hu levesz a lábáról (to encourage or persuade by effort) · cs obloudit (to encourage or persuade by effort) · de zureden (to encourage or persuade by effort) · es empaquetar (to encourage or persuade by effort) · la lactō (to encourage or persuade by effort) · fi houkutella (to encourage or persuade by effort) · de umgarnen (to encourage or persuade by effort) · ca ensibornar (to encourage or persuade by effort) · de drängen (to encourage or persuade by effort) · hu hízeleg (to encourage or persuade by effort) · cmn 勸誘 /劝诱 (to encourage or persuade by effort) · ru улеща́ть (to encourage or persuade by effort) · de schmeicheln (to encourage or persuade by effort) · de verführen (to encourage or persuade by effort) · ja 誑す (to encourage or persuade by effort) · de kajolieren (to encourage or persuade by effort) · es engatusar (to encourage or persuade by effort) · cs přesvědčovat (to encourage or persuade by effort) · pl przypochlebiać się (to encourage or persuade by effort) · pl przymilać się (to encourage or persuade by effort) · fi suostutella (to encourage or persuade by effort) · pl naciągnąć (to encourage or persuade by effort) · ca entabanar (to encourage or persuade by effort) · it persuadere (to encourage or persuade by effort) · cs obluzovat (to encourage or persuade by effort) · es cantusar (to encourage or persuade by effort) · de dazu bringen (to encourage or persuade by effort) · pt lisonjear (to encourage or persuade by effort) · pl naciągać (to encourage or persuade by effort) · cmn 誘哄 /诱哄 (to encourage or persuade by effort) · sh nagovoriti (to encourage or persuade by effort) · pt persuadir (to encourage or persuade by effort) · cs přemlouvat (to encourage or persuade by effort) · bg придумвам (to encourage or persuade by effort) · eo kaĵoli (to encourage or persuade by effort) · es encantusar (to encourage or persuade by effort) · de betteln (to encourage or persuade by effort) · pt adular (to encourage or persuade by effort) · cs přemluvit (to encourage or persuade by effort) · es camelar (to encourage or persuade by effort) · de überreden (to encourage or persuade by effort) · el καλοπιάνω (to encourage or persuade by effort) · ja 甘言 (to encourage or persuade by effort) · ga bladair (to encourage or persuade by effort) · ru увещева́ть (to encourage or persuade by effort) · cs přesvědčit (to encourage or persuade by effort) · sh privoljeti (to encourage or persuade by effort) · es lisonjear (to encourage or persuade by effort) · de beschwatzen (to encourage or persuade by effort) · mi whakapati (to encourage or persuade by effort) · cy cocsio (to encourage or persuade by effort) · pl przypochlebić się (to encourage or persuade by effort)