Adjacent Words

Persuade definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

PERSUA'DE, v.t. [L. persuadeo; per and suadeo, to urge or incite.]
1. To influence by argument, advice, intreaty or expostulation; to draw or incline the will to a determination by presenting motives to the mind.
I should be glad, if I could persuade him to write such another critick on any thing of mine.
Almost thou persuadest me to be a christian. Acts 26.
2. To convince by argument, or reasons offered; or to convince by reasons suggested by reflection or deliberation, or by evidence presented in any manner to the mind.
Beloved, we are persuaded better things of you. Hebrews 6.
3. To inculcate by argument or expostulation. [Little used.]
4. To treat by persuasion. [Not in use.]

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

v
1: win approval or support for; "Carry all before one"; "His speech did not sway the voters" [syn: carry, persuade, sway]
2: cause somebody to adopt a certain position, belief, or course of action; twist somebody's arm; "You can't persuade me to buy this ugly vase!" [ant: deter, dissuade]

Merriam Webster's

transitive verb (persuaded; persuading) Etymology: Latin persuad?re, from per- thoroughly + suad?re to advise, urge — more at sweet Date: 15th century 1. to move by argument, entreaty, or expostulation to a belief, position, or course of action 2. to plead with ; urge • persuader noun

Oxford Reference Dictionary

v.tr. & refl. 1 (often foll. by of, or that + clause) cause (another person or oneself) to believe; convince (persuaded them that it would be helpful; tried to persuade me of its value). 2 a (often foll. by to + infin.) induce (another person or oneself) (persuaded us to join them; managed to persuade them at last). b (foll. by away from, down to, etc.) lure, attract, entice, etc. (persuaded them away from the pub). Derivatives: persuadable adj. persuadability n. persuasible adj. Etymology: L persuadere (as PER-, suadere suas- advise)

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Persuade Per*suade", v. i. To use persuasion; to plead; to prevail by persuasion. --Shak.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Persuade Per*suade", n. Persuasion. [Obs.] --Beau. & Fl.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Persuade Per*suade", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Persuaded; p. pr. & vb. n. Persuading.] [L. persuadere, persuasum; per + suadere to advise, persuade: cf. F. persuader. See Per-, and Suasion.] 1. To influence or gain over by argument, advice, entreaty, expostulation, etc.; to draw or incline to a determination by presenting sufficient motives.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

(persuades, persuading, persuaded) Frequency: The word is one of the 3000 most common words in English. 1. If you persuade someone to do something, you cause them to do it by giving them good reasons for doing it. My husband persuaded me to come... They were eventually persuaded by the police to give themselves up. VERB: V n to-inf, V n to-inf, also V n into n/-ing, V n • persuader (persuaders) All great persuaders and salesmen are the same. N-COUNT 2. If something persuades someone to take a particular course of action, it causes them to take that course of action because it is a good reason for doing so. The Conservative Party's victory in April's general election persuaded him to run for President again... VERB: V n to-inf 3. If you persuade someone that something is true, you say things that eventually make them believe that it is true. I've persuaded Mrs Tennant that it's time she retired... Derek persuaded me of the feasibility of the idea. = convince VERB: V n that, V n of n • persuaded He is not persuaded of the need for electoral reform... ADJ: v-link ADJ, ADJ of n, ADJ that

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

v. a. 1. Induce, influence, lead, incite, impel, actuate, move, entice, allure, prevail upon, bring over, win over, bring round. 2. Advise, counsel, try to influence. 3. Convince, satisfy by proof or evidence. 4. Inculcate, by argument, teach.

Moby Thesaurus

admonish, affect, argue into, assure, be convincing, bend, bias, bring, bring home to, bring over, bring round, bring to reason, captivate, carry conviction, caution, charge, charm, color, con, convert, convict, convince, dispose, draw over, drive home to, encourage, enjoin, evangelize, exhort, expostulate, gain, gain over, hook, hook in, importune, incite, incline, induce, influence, inspire belief, issue a caveat, lead, lead to believe, move, outtalk, preach, predispose, press, prevail on, prevail upon, prevail with, prompt, proselyte, proselytize, remonstrate, satisfy, sell, sell one on, soften up, sway, talk into, talk over, tinge, tone, urge, wangle, wangle into, warn, wean, wear down, weigh with, win, win over, work