---
title: coax — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «coax» in the school dictionary: To persuade someone gently and patiently to do something. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# coax

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** She, Dad, We, Rat, He, Gran · **What happens:** persuade, do, get, work, move, coax · **To what, where:** someone, something, fire, life, coaxial cable, kitten

<!-- .vabout -->
«coax» in the school dictionary: its 3 meanings for a pupil and its 8 examples, every sentence parsed by Mova itself — its syntax tree, a dependency tree in the style of Universal Dependencies, and its pragmatics clause by clause. The word in the dictionary, with its sense in the lessons: [coax in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/coax.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To persuade someone gently and patiently to do something.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:coax:m1:1
# text = To persuade someone gently and patiently to do something.
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	persuade	persuade	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	someone	someone	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	2	obj	_	_
4	gently	gently	ADV	RB	_	2	advmod	_	_
5	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	8	cc	_	_
6	patiently	patiently	ADV	RB	_	8	advmod	_	_
7	to	to	PART	TO	_	8	mark	_	_
8	do	do	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	2	conj	_	_
9	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	8	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **persuade** | to-infinitive |  | someone |  |  |  | gently *property* | vn compel-59.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent someone=Patient |
| 2 | **do** | to-infinitive |  | something |  |  |  | patiently *property* | vn act-114-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent something=Eventuality |

<!-- .note -->
One row per clause the reader finds. «not said here»: a role filled from the clause above. «roles by»: a VerbNet class and frame when one fits the verb, else the reader's rules on the tree.

## Meaning 2 {#m2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To get something to work or move by careful, gentle effort: «coax the fire into life».

<!-- fold The tree, 16 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:coax:m2:1
# text = To get something to work or move by careful, gentle effort: «coax the fire into life».
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	get	get	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	2	obj	_	_
4	to	to	PART	TO	_	5	mark	_	_
5	work	work	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	acl	_	_
6	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	7	cc	_	_
7	move	move	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	5	conj	_	_
8	by	by	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
9	careful	careful	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	12	amod	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	9	punct	_	_
11	gentle	gentle	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	12	amod	_	_
12	effort	effort	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	15	punct	_	_
14	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	15	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	coax	coax	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	2	advcl:relcl	_	_
16	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	17	det	_	_
17	fire	fire	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	15	obj	_	_
18	into	into	ADP	IN	_	19	case	_	_
19	life	life	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	15	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
20	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	15	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
21	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **get** | to-infinitive |  | something |  |  |  |  | vn comprehend-87.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Experiencer something=Stimulus |
| 2 | **work** | to-infinitive |  | something *not said here* |  |  |  |  | vn employment-95.3 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 3 | **move** | infinitive |  |  |  |  |  | by careful gentle effort | vn roll-51.3.1 «NP V PP.trajectory»: agent=Theme by effort=Trajectory |
| 4 | **coax** *in a quote* | infinitive |  | the fire |  |  |  | into life *result* | vn lure-59.3 «NP V NP S\_ING»: agent=Agent fire=Patient into life=Result |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

<!-- .note -->
Usage: technical, noun — kept apart, not parsed.

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A short form of «coaxial cable», a TV or aerial cable.

<!-- fold The tree, 11 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:coax:m3:1
# text = A short form of «coaxial cable», a TV or aerial cable.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	short	short	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	form	form	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
4	of	of	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
5	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	7	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	coaxial	coaxial	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
7	cable	cable	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	7	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	11	punct	_	_
10	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
11	TV	TV	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	conj	_	_
12	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	14	cc	_	_
13	aerial	aerial	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	14	amod	_	_
14	cable	cable	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **form** |  |  | coaxial cable |  |  |  |  | nom form «communication transitive»: of=patient |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
She coaxed the kitten out from under the sofa with some milk.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:coax:x1:1
# text = She coaxed the kitten out from under the sofa with some milk.
1	She	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	coaxed	coax	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	kitten	kitten	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
5	out	out	ADP	RP	_	2	compound:prt	_	_
6	from	from	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
7	under	under	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	sofa	sofa	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	_
10	with	with	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
11	some	some	DET	DT	PronType=Ind	12	det	_	_
12	milk	milk	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **coax out** | past | She | the kitten |  | the sofa |  | with some milk | vn lure-59.3 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent kitten=Patient |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Dad coaxed the old car into starting.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:coax:x2:1
# text = Dad coaxed the old car into starting.
1	Dad	dad	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nsubj	_	_
2	coaxed	coax	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
4	old	old	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
5	car	car	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
6	into	into	SCONJ	IN	_	7	mark	_	_
7	starting	start	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	2	advcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **coax** | past | Dad | the old car |  |  |  |  | vn lure-59.3 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent car=Patient |
| 2 | **start** | gerund | Dad *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn begin-55.1-1-1 «NP.eventuality V»: agent=Eventuality |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
We coaxed my little brother into trying the broccoli.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:coax:x3:1
# text = We coaxed my little brother into trying the broccoli.
1	We	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	coaxed	coax	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	my	my	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Sing|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	5	nmod:poss	_	_
4	little	little	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
5	brother	brother	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
6	into	into	SCONJ	IN	_	7	mark	_	_
7	trying	try	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	2	advcl	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	broccoli	broccoli	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **coax** | past | We | my little brother |  |  |  |  | vn lure-59.3 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent brother=Patient |
| 2 | **try** | gerund | We *not said here* | the broccoli |  |  |  |  | vn try-61.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent broccoli=Eventuality |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The Rat coaxed the Mole back to sleep.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:coax:x4:1
# text = The Rat coaxed the Mole back to sleep.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	Rat	Rat	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	coaxed	coax	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	Mole	mole	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
6	back	back	ADV	RB	_	3	advmod	_	_
7	to	to	PART	TO	_	8	mark	_	_
8	sleep	sleep	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	advcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **coax back** | past | the Rat | the Mole |  |  |  |  | vn lure-59.3 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent mole=Patient |
| 2 | **sleep** | to-infinitive | the Rat *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn snooze-40.4-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
He coaxed a smile from the crying baby.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:coax:x5:1
# text = He coaxed a smile from the crying baby.
1	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	coaxed	coax	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	smile	smile	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
5	from	from	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
7	crying	cry	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	8	amod	_	_
8	baby	baby	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **coax** | past | He | a smile |  | the crying baby |  |  | vn lure-59.3 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent smile=Patient |
| 2 | **cry** *speech: express* | gerund |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn manner\_speaking-37.3 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Gran coaxed the fire back into life with dry sticks.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:coax:x6:1
# text = Gran coaxed the fire back into life with dry sticks.
1	Gran	Gran	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	2	nsubj	_	_
2	coaxed	coax	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	fire	fire	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
5	back	back	ADV	RB	_	2	advmod	_	_
6	into	into	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
7	life	life	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	_
8	with	with	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
9	dry	dry	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	10	amod	_	_
10	sticks	stick	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **coax back** | past | Gran | the fire |  |  |  | into life *result*; with dry sticks | vn lure-59.3 «NP V NP S\_ING»: agent=Agent fire=Patient into life=Result |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The TV aerial is joined with a coax cable.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:coax:x7:1
# text = The TV aerial is joined with a coax cable.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	TV	TV	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	compound	_	_
3	aerial	aerial	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj:pass	_	_
4	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	aux:pass	_	_
5	joined	join	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
6	with	with	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
7	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
8	coax	coax	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	compound	_	_
9	cable	cable	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **join** | present · passive |  | the TV aerial |  |  |  | with a coax cable | vn mix-22.1-2-1 «NP V NP PP.co-patient»: subject=Patient with cable=Co-Patient |

## Example 8 {#x8}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
So she tried to coax the boy into going at once to bed:

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:coax:x8:1
# text = So she tried to coax the boy into going at once to bed:
1	So	so	ADV	RB	_	3	advmod	_	_
2	she	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	3	nsubj	_	_
3	tried	try	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	to	to	PART	TO	_	5	mark	_	_
5	coax	coax	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	xcomp	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	boy	boy	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obj	_	_
8	into	into	SCONJ	IN	_	9	mark	_	_
9	going	go	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	5	advcl	_	_
10	at	at	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
11	once	once	ADV	RB	NumForm=Word|NumType=Mult	9	obl	_	_
12	to	to	ADP	IN	_	13	case	_	_
13	bed	bed	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **try** | past | she |  |  |  |  |  | vn try-61.1 «NP V S\_INF»: agent=Agent clause=Eventuality |
| 2 | **coax** *not said to happen* | to-infinitive | she *not said here* | the boy |  |  |  |  | vn lure-59.3 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent boy=Patient |
| 3 | **go** | gerund | she *not said here* |  |  | bed |  |  | vn escape-51.1-1 «NP V PP.initial\_location»: agent=Theme to bed=Initial\_Location |

<!-- div src -->

**Text:** the school dictionary of Mova's schools (`world/data/dictionary-schools/`), written for Mova. **Trees:** Mova's own parse — the `en` model on the CPU, when the site is built — not checked by a teacher; they may be wrong. **Frames:** Mova's frames reader (`prag`), each meaning and example read on its own. Elamur Cosmic License.

<!-- /div -->

<!-- pn -->
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