- seduce
- 1526, "to persuade a vassal, etc., to desert his allegiance or service," from L. seducere "lead away, lead astray," from se- "aside, away" + ducere "to lead." Replaced M.E. seduisen (1477), from M.Fr. séduire "seduce," from O.Fr. suduire "to corrupt, seduce," from L. subducere "draw away, withdraw, remove," from sub- "from under, further" + ducere "to lead" (see duke). Sexual sense, now the prevailing one, is attested from 1560. Seductive is from 1771; seductress is from 1803.
- subdue
- late 14c., "to conquer," from O.Fr. souduire "deceive, seduce," from L. subducere "draw, lead away, withdraw" (see subduce). The sense seems to have been taken over in Anglo-Fr. from L. subdere. Subdued "reduced in intensity, toned down" is attested from 1822. Subduct in the sense of "subtract" is from 1570s.
- inveigle
- 1494, "to blind (someone's) judgment," from M.Fr. aveugler "delude, make blind," from V.L. *aboculus "without sight, blind," from L. ab- "without" + oculus "eye." Loan-transl. of Gk. ap ommaton "without eyes." Meaning "to win over by deceit, seduce" is c.1540.
- toll (v.)
- "to sound with single strokes," 1452, probably a special use of tollen "to draw, lure," c.1220 variant of O.E. -tyllan in betyllan "to lure, decoy," and fortyllan "draw away, seduce," of obscure origin. The notion is perhaps of "luring" people to church with the sound of the bells, or of "drawing" on the bell rope.