I find it a very odd way to say that she was unable to persuade him to put on a thick coat. Where did you find it?
Interested in Language
Results 1 to 4 of 4
-
Key Member
- Join Date: Feb 2013
- Posts: 1,801
#1 07-May-2017, 09:41sway someone into doing vs sway someone to do
Hello.
Does "She was unable to sway him into putting on a thick coat on such a cold wintry day" mean "She was unable to sway him to put on a thick coat on such a cold wintry day"?
What is your opinion?
Thank you.
-
Moderator
Retired English Teacher
- Join Date: Apr 2008
- Posts: 25,706
#2 07-May-2017, 09:43Re: sway someone into doing vs sway someone to do
“Every miserable fool who has nothing at all of which he can be proud, adopts as a last resource pride in the nation to which he belongs; he is ready and happy to defend all its faults and follies tooth and nail, thus reimbursing himself for his own inferiority.”
— Arthur Schopenhauer
-
Key Member
Interested in Language
- Join Date: Feb 2013
- Posts: 1,801
#3 07-May-2017, 11:16Re: sway someone into doing vs sway someone to do
sway someone to something
to convince someone to do something. I think I can sway her to join our side. We could not sway Ted to our position.
-
Moderator
English Teacher
- Join Date: Jul 2009
- Posts: 47,402
#4 07-May-2017, 11:19Re: sway someone into doing vs sway someone to do
It's used much more commonly when talking about someone's opinion or into making an important decision. It's not really necessary for something as mundane as putting on a coat.
Remember - if you don't use correct capitalisation, punctuation and spacing, anything you write will be incorrect.
Similar Threads
-
[Vocabulary] wobble/sway
By englishhobby in forum Ask a TeacherReplies: 5Last Post: 01-Dec-2014, 13:50 -
Where British held sway." means "Where British ruled
By twilit1988 in forum Ask a TeacherReplies: 1Last Post: 15-Sep-2011, 19:05
Bookmarks