All 8 Uses of
coax
in
The Mill on the Floss
- Maggie, Maggie," continued the mother, in a tone of half-coaxing fretfulness, as this small mistake of nature entered the room, "where's the use o' my telling you to keep away from the water?†
Chpt 1.2coaxing = trying to obtain a result through gentle and careful effort -- often gently persuading
- The formidable strangers were two shabby-looking men with flushed faces, one of them carrying a bundle on a stick over his shoulder; but to her surprise, while she was dreading their disapprobation as a runaway, the man with the bundle stopped, and in a half-whining, half-coaxing tone asked her if she had a copper to give a poor man.†
Chpt 1.11
- "My little lady, where are you going to?" the gypsy said, in a tone of coaxing deference.†
Chpt 1.11
- "We've got no tea nor butter," said the old woman, with something like a scowl, as if she were getting tired of coaxing.†
Chpt 1.11 *
- At last the younger woman said in her previous deferential, coaxing tone,— "This nice little lady's come to live with us; aren't you glad?"†
Chpt 1.11
- "We've got nothing nice for a lady to eat," said the old woman, in her coaxing tone.†
Chpt 1.11
- "No, no, Maggie," said Tom, in his most coaxing tone; "It's something you'll like ever so."†
Chpt 2.5
- "But what do you want?" he added, pinching the dimpled chin fondly,—"to coax some more sovereigns out of my pocket for your bazaar?†
Chpt 6.7
Definitions:
-
(1)
(coax as in: coax her to join us) try to obtain a result through gentle and careful effort -- often gentle persuasion
-
(2)
(meaning too rare to warrant focus) meaning too rare to warrant focus:
Less commonly, coax is a short for coaxial cable (a type of electrical cable used to transmit data, the internet, video and voice communications). Coaxial cables have a conducting wire surrounded by an insulating layer surrounded by a shield. The insulating layer and shield surround a common axis--the conducting wire.
In classic literature, you may see coax used as a synonym for caress or fondle.