wooes

Verb

woo (third-person singular simple present woos, present participle wooing, simple past and past participle wooed)

1. (transitive) To endeavor to gain someone's affection or support.
   • They're trying to woo the customers back with this new mobile plan.
2. (transitive) Often of a man, to try to persuade (someone) to be in an amorous relationship with.
   • Soo leue we syr Launcelot lyenge within that caue in grete payne / and euery day ther came a lady & brouȝt hym his mete & his drynke / & wowed hym to haue layne by hym / and euer the noble knyghte syre Launcelot sayd her nay.
     "So leave we Sir Launcelot lying within that cave in great pain; and...1485, Thomas Malory, Le Morte Darthur Book XIX, Chapter viii, leaf 393v
3. (transitive) To court solicitously; to invite with importunity; to solicit in love.
   • Thee Chauntreſs oft the Woods among, / I woo to hear thy eeven Song;a. 1645, John Milton, “Il Penseroso”, in Poems of Mr. John Milton, […], London: […] Ruth Raworth for Humphrey Mosely, […], published 1646, →OCLC, page 39

   Synonyms:

   court

See all 5 meanings of woo