dangle (something) before (someone)
To try to entice someone with something. Dad dangled a few twenties before us, but we told him he'd have to pay more to get us to clean out the whole garage. I'm not a kid anymore. You can't just dangle some chocolates before me to get me to do whatever you want! I bet he'd take over this awful project if you dangled that empty corner office before him.
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.
dangle something before someone
and dangle something in front of someone 1. Lit. to tempt someone by dangling a tempting object in front of them. Don't dangle that string of pearls infront of me unless you intend to give them to me!
2. Fig. to lure someone with something. He dangled the keys before Wally, hoping to get him to drive. He dangled the money in front of Eric, hoping to make him change his mind.
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.