Also 7 caiolo, cageole, cajoul, 7–8 cajol. [a. F. cajoler, in same sense, of uncertain origin and history.
Paré c. 1550 has ‘cageoller comme un gay’ to chatter like a jay. Littré has 16th-c. examples of cajoler, cajoller, cageoller, in the senses ‘to chatter like a jay or magpie,’ and ‘to sing,’ also, in the modern sense ‘to cajole.’ Cotgr. 1611 has cajoler, cageoler ‘to prattle or jangle like a jay (in a cage), to bable or prate much to little purpose.’ Most etymologists taking cageoler as the original form, have inferred its derivation from cage cage, through an assumed dim. *cageole. This is doubtful both in regard to sense and form; the early meaning ‘to chatter like a jay’ does not very obviously arise from cage, and does not clearly give rise to the modern sense. The Fr. dim. of cage is not *cageole but geôle ‘gaol,’ whence F. enjôler (OF. engaioler, engauler, Sp. enjaular) ‘to put in gaol, imprison,’ also ‘to inveigle, entice, allure, enthrall by fair words, cajole.’ In Namur, cajoler has the sense enjoliver, to make joli, whence Grandgagnage would refer it to the stem jol- of joli, with ‘prefix ca- frequent in Walloon with an iterative force.’ It is possible that two or even three words are here confused; in the modern sense, F. cajoler is synonymous with enjôler above, and if not cognate with that word, its sense has probably at least been taken over from it by form-association of cageoler or cajoler with enjôler. But the working out of the history must be left to French etymologists.]
1. trans. To prevail upon or get one’s way with (a person) by delusive flattery, specious promises, or any false means of persuasion. (‘A low word’ J.)
1645. King’s Cabinet Open., Pref. 2. How the Court has been Caiolde, (thats the new authentick word now amongst our Cabalisticall adversaries) by the Papists. Ibid., 46. [He] gives avisoes to Caiole the Scots and Independents.
1649. Milton, Eikon., xxi. That the people might no longer be abused and cajoled, as they call it, by falsities and court-impudence.
1678. Butler, Hud., III. i. 88/1526. ’Tis no mean part of Civil, State-Prudence, to Cajol the Devil.
1723. Sheffield (Dk. Buckhm.), Wks. (1753), II. 137. Cajoling a proud Nation to change their Master.
1735. Pope, Donne Sat., iv. 90. You Courtiers so cajol us.
1823. Lingard, Hist. Eng., VI. 196. They sometimes cajoled, sometimes threatened the pontiff.
1863. W. Phillips, Speeches, iii. 36. Leading statesmen have endeavored to cajole the people.
b. Const. into, from an action or state.
1663. Pepys, Diary, 17 March. Sir R. Ford … cajoled him into a consent to it.
a. 1853. Robertson, Lect., ii. 55. Nor to cajole or flatter you into the reception of my views.
1862. Trench, Mirac., xxviii. 310. He could neither be cajoled nor terrified from his simple yet bold avowal of the truth.
c. Const. out of: (a.) to do (a person) out of (a thing) by flattery, etc.; (b.) to get (a thing) out of a person by flattery, etc.
1749. Fielding, Tom Jones, XI. ix. (1840), 165/1. Everybody would not have cajoled this out of her.
1833. Marryat, P. Simple (1863), 33. The stockings which she cajoled him out of.
1839. W. Irving, Wolfert’s R. (1855), 325. The populace, however, are not to be cajoled out of a ghost story by any of these plausible explanations.
2. intr. or absol. To use cajolery. † To cajole with: = sense 1 (cf. persuade with).
1665. Pepys, Diary, 12 Oct. He hath cajolled with Seymour, who will be our friend.
1789. Belsham, Ess., I. iii. 40. [Elizabeth] knew how to cajole, how to coax, and to flatter.
1870. L’Estrange, Miss Mitford, I. vi. 210. The well-fee’d lawyers have ceased to browbeat or to cajole.
