Put the comether on

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Meaning

Charm, coax or cajole someone, sometimes in order to deceive them. Regional and dated. The phrase can imply either attractive persuasion or dishonest manipulation, so context matters. Regional use: Irish English; also recorded as older British dialect.

Origin

Irish English 'comether' is a reshaping of 'come-hither,' the inviting look or manner used to draw someone closer. Nineteenth-century records show both the noun and the construction 'put the comether on.' Depending on context, the influence may be benign persuasion, flirtatious charm or calculated trickery.

Research Sources

  1. Comether Collins Dictionary
  2. Comether Merriam-Webster
  3. Punch, volume 48 Internet Archive facsimile via Wikimedia Commons

Variants

  • Put the come-hither on
  • Put the comether on someone

Usage Examples

  • The dealer put the comether on us and made a cracked jug sound priceless.
  • She can put the come-hither on a doubtful audience without raising her voice.
  • Do not let that smooth caller put the comether on your grandfather.

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