# persuade

Pronunciation: US say "pur-SWAYD" /pə(ɹ)ˈsweɪd/; UK say "puh-SWAYD" /pəˈsweɪd/

## Verb

1. To get someone, through reasoning and verbal influence, to agree to, accept, or do something.
   - Simple: To get someone to agree to do something by giving them good reasons.
   - _A good salesperson can persuade customers to buy things they don't really need._
   - _She persuaded the committee to approve the new budget._

## Verb

2. To urge or plead with someone; to try to convince someone to do something. *(archaic)*
   - Simple: To urge or beg someone to do something, trying hard to convince them.
   - _Friends would persuade him to give up the scheme, but he pressed on regardless._
   - _Her aunts persuaded her at length to accept the proposal, though her heart was set against it._
3. To cause someone to believe something through argument or through reasons offered from reflection. *(obsolete)*
   - Simple: To make someone believe that something is true by giving reasons.
   - _His careful arguments persuaded the council of the plan's wisdom._
   - _Plain reasoning will persuade any fair judge of the matter._

## Origin

From Latin persuādeō ("I persuade").

Source: DictionaryAI, https://dictionaryai.com/define/persuade (written from Wiktionary data, CC BY-SA 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).