wangle

See also: Wängle and wàngle

English

Blend of wag +‎ dangle, first attested 1810–1820. Alternatively, from an alteration of waggle or wankle.

(without /æ/ raising) IPA^(key): /ˈwæŋ.ɡəl/
- Audio (Southern England): (file)
  - (/æ/ raising) IPA^(key): /ˈweɪ̯ŋ.ɡəl/, /ˈwɛ̃ŋ.ɡəl/
Rhymes: -æŋɡəl
Hyphenation: wan‧gle

wangle (third-person singular simple present wangles, present participle wangling, simple past and past participle wangled)

(transitive) To obtain through deceitful or manipulative methods.
Synonyms: fainaigue, finagle
- 1920 March – 1921 February, P[elham] G[renville] Wodehouse, chapter XVIII, in Indiscretions of Archie, New York, N.Y.: A[lbert] L[evi] Burt Company, […], published 1921, →OCLC:
  “My dear old lad,” he said, briskly, “this must be remedied! Oh, positively! This must be remedied at once! I suppose my things wouldn’t fit you? No. Well, I tell you what. We’ll wangle something from my father-in-law.
- 2022 November 1, William Grimes, “Gael Greene, Who Shook Up Restaurant Reviewing, Dies at 88”, in The New York Times‎^[1], New York, N.Y.: The New York Times Company, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 7 November 2025:
  After graduation, she was hired by United Press International, which on one memorable occasion sent her to cover a show by Elvis Presley in Detroit. She wangled an invitation to the singer’s hotel room, where one thing led to another.
(transitive) To falsify, as records.
(Can we add an example for this sense?)
(transitive) To achieve through contrivance or cajolery.
It took some effort to wangle a last-minute meeting with the CEO.
- 1934, Ernest Bramah [pseudonym; Ernest Brammah Smith], The Bravo of London:
  " […] Well, as regards Mr. Carrados I have already arranged, as he suggests, to 'do something.'"
  "The deuce you have!" said Nickle, staring his curiosity. "How is it to be wangled?"

obtain through deceitful or manipulative methods

falsify — see falsify

achieve through contrivance or cajolery

wangle (plural wangles)