---
title: wheedle — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «wheedle» in the school dictionary: To wheedle is to coax someone, with soft words or flattery, into doing what you want. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# wheedle

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**Who acts:** you, wife, he, She · **What happens:** wheedle, be, do, want, agree, not wheedle · **To what, where:** secret, him, treat, me

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«wheedle» in the school dictionary: its 2 meanings for a pupil and its 3 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: [wheedle in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/wheedle.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To wheedle is to coax someone, with soft words or flattery, into doing what you want.

<!-- fold The tree, 16 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:wheedle:m1:1
# text = To wheedle is to coax someone, with soft words or flattery, into doing what you want.
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	wheedle	wheedle	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	5	csubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
4	to	to	PART	TO	_	5	mark	_	_
5	coax	coax	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
6	someone	someone	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	5	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	10	punct	_	_
8	with	with	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
9	soft	soft	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	10	amod	_	_
10	words	word	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	appos	_	_
11	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	12	cc	_	_
12	flattery	flattery	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	15	punct	_	_
14	into	into	SCONJ	IN	_	15	mark	_	_
15	doing	do	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	5	advcl	_	_
16	what	what	PRON	WP	PronType=Int	18	obj	_	_
17	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	18	nsubj	_	_
18	want	want	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=2|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	15	ccomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
19	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **wheedle** | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn compel-59.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **is** | present |  |  |  |  |  | coax *property* | tree rules |
| 3 | **do** | gerund |  |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 4 | **want** | present | you |  |  |  |  |  | vn want-32.1-1-1 «NP V NP ADV»: agent=Pivot what=Theme |

<!-- .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 wheedle a secret out of someone is to get it from them by sweet talk.

<!-- fold The tree, 16 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:wheedle:m2:1
# text = To wheedle a secret out of someone is to get it from them by sweet talk.
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	wheedle	wheedle	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	secret	secret	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
5	out	out	ADP	IN	_	10	mark	_	_
6	of	of	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
7	someone	someone	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	10	obl	_	_
8	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	10	cop	_	_
9	to	to	PART	TO	_	10	mark	_	_
10	get	get	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	2	advcl	_	_
11	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	10	obj	_	_
12	from	from	ADP	IN	_	13	case	_	_
13	them	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	10	obl	_	_
14	by	by	ADP	IN	_	16	case	_	_
15	sweet	sweet	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	16	amod	_	_
16	talk	talk	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **wheedle** | to-infinitive |  | a secret |  |  |  |  | vn compel-59.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent secret=Patient |
| 2 | **is** | present |  |  |  |  |  | of someone; from them *= they*; by sweet talk; get *property* | tree rules |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
His wife wheedled him until he agreed.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:wheedle:x1:1
# text = His wife wheedled him until he agreed.
1	His	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	2	nmod:poss	_	_
2	wife	wife	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	wheedled	wheedle	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	him	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	3	obj	_	_
5	until	until	SCONJ	IN	_	7	mark	_	_
6	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	7	nsubj	_	_
7	agreed	agree	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	3	advcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **wheedle** | past | His wife | him *= he* |  |  |  |  | vn compel-59.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent he=Patient |
| 2 | **agree** *speech: agree* | past | he |  |  |  |  |  | vn correspond-36.1-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
She wheedled a treat out of her dad.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:wheedle:x2:1
# text = She wheedled a treat out of her dad.
1	She	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	wheedled	wheedle	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	treat	treat	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
5	out	out	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
6	of	of	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	her	her	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	8	nmod:poss	_	_
8	dad	dad	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 | **wheedle** | past | She | a treat |  |  |  | out her dad | vn compel-59.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent treat=Patient |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Don't wheedle; just ask me nicely.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:wheedle:x3:1
# text = Don't wheedle; just ask me nicely.
1	Do	do	AUX	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	3	aux	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	n't	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	3	advmod	_	_
3	wheedle	wheedle	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	;	;	PUNCT	:	_	6	punct	_	_
5	just	just	ADV	RB	_	6	advmod	_	_
6	ask	ask	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	3	conj	_	_
7	me	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	6	iobj	_	_
8	nicely	nicely	ADV	RB	_	6	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **not** **wheedle** | imperative · do-support | you *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn compel-59.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **ask** *speech: ask* | infinitive | you *not said here* |  | me |  |  | nicely *property* | vn inquire-37.1.2 «NP V NP.recipient»: agent=Agent i=Recipient |

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**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.

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