哄人（和動物）
這一族就是核心畫面本身，另一端是有感覺的對象：小孩、朋友、受驚的貓。
verb · B2
To get someone to do something they do not want to do by talking to them in a kind, gentle and patient way, usually a little at a time rather than all at once.
哄；好言勸誘
核心畫面
Picture someone by a sofa, talking softly to whatever is hiding under it. Nothing is being pulled, ordered or argued with. There is a warm voice, a small offer, a wait, and then the same thing again. Coax is that whole method: the other side does not want to move, and you change that with patience instead of strength.
可以想成有人蹲在沙發旁邊，對著底下的東西輕聲說話。沒有人在拉、在罵、在講道理。只有溫和的聲音、一點誘因、等一下，然後…更多收起
可以想成有人蹲在沙發旁邊，對著底下的東西輕聲說話。沒有人在拉、在罵、在講道理。只有溫和的聲音、一點誘因、等一下，然後再來一次。coax 講的就是這整套做法：對方本來不肯動，而你靠耐心讓它改變主意，不是靠力氣。這個畫面的三個條件缺一不可——對方不情願、你用軟的、而且花了時間。也因為是這個畫面，英文才習慣在後面補上方向：into、out of、down、open。From the word’s history
The verb first appears in the 1580s in the phrase to make a coax of someone, built on an older noun coax or cokes meaning 'a fool' — that is, to work on a person with soft words. The origin of that noun is unclear, and the modern spelling dates from 1706.
這個動詞最早出現在一五八〇年代的說法 to make a coax of somebody，背後是更早的名詞 coax／cokes，意思是「傻瓜」——也就是用好聽話把人擺弄。那個名詞本身來歷不明。今天的拼法從一七〇六年開始。這條線索留下的味道是：好話有時候是真心，有時候只是手段。
Wiktionary entry 'coax' (verb, etymology 1; packet source_ref kaikki:3f6f69a190036ae4:822212748)
Two branches
哄東西
把同一套態度搬給沒有耳朵的東西：卡住的抽屜、發不動的車、點不著的濕木頭。硬來會壞，所以改成小動作加等待。這是意思上的延伸，不是說歷史上一定從前一個用法生出來。
verb · C1
To make a machine, a fire, or some other object work, move, or go where you want by handling it slowly, patiently and carefully instead of using force.
慢慢弄好；小心地弄動