to seek the affection, favour, or love of (someone) with a view to marriage - (transitive)
to seek after zealously or hopefully: to woo fame - (transitive)
to bring upon oneself (good or evil results) by one's own action - (transitive)
to beg or importune (someone)
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025
woo /wu/USA pronunciation
v. [~ + object]
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025- to seek the love of, esp. with a view to marriage:He wooed his lady love.
- to seek or invite:to woo fame.
- to seek to persuade (a person, group, etc.), as to do something:The new tax plan was not enough to woo the voters to change their vote.
woo
(wo̅o̅),USA pronunciation v.t.
v.i.
woo′er, n.
woo′ing•ly, adv.
- to seek the favor, affection, or love of, esp. with a view to marriage.
- to seek to win:to woo fame.
- to invite (consequences, whether good or bad) by one's own action;
court:to woo one's own destruction. - to seek to persuade (a person, group, etc.), as to do something;
solicit;
importune.
v.i.
- to make love to a woman;
court:He went wooing. - to solicit favor or approval;
entreat:Further attempts to woo proved useless.
- Middle English wowe, Old English wōgian bef. 1050
woo′ing•ly, adv.
- 4.See corresponding entry in Unabridged petition, sue, address, entreat.
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
'woo' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):