1580s, of imitative origin (cf. Dutch and East Frisian klikken to click; Old French clique tick of a clock). The figurative sense, in reference usually to persons, hit it off at once, become friendly upon meeting is from 1915, perhaps based on the sound of a key in a lock. Related: Clicked; clicking.
verb (used with object), induced, inducing. 1. to lead or move by persuasion or influence, as to some action or state of mind: to induce a person to buy a raffle ticket. 2. to bring about, produce, or cause: That medicine will induce sleep.
persuade verb [T]. âº to âcause âpeople to do or âbelieve something, esp. by âexplaining why they should: The âgovernment is âtrying to persuade âconsumers to âsave more. She âtried to persuade them that they should âleave. persuasive adjective us /pÉrËsweÉªÂ·sÉªv, -zÉªv/ âº a persuasive âargument.ersuade verb [T]. B1 to make someone do or âbelieve something by giving them a good âreason to do it or by âtalking to that âperson and making them âbelieve it: If she doesn't âwant to go, nothing you can say will persuade her.