Beguile Someone Into Doing vs. Beguile Someone To Do
Cambridge gives direct evidence for beguile someone into doing something in the literary persuade/attract/deceive sense. The cited entry supports the into + -ing construction; it does not establish beguile + object + to-infinitive as an equivalent pattern for this meaning.
Use “beguile someone into doing” for the directly documented pattern; do not infer equal support for “beguile someone to do.”
Key details
Choose the right form
| Meaning / situation | Construction | Decision |
|---|---|---|
| persuading or charming someone into an action | beguile + person + into + -ing | use the directly documented pattern |
| a proposed direct to-infinitive after the person | beguile + person + to-infinitive | do not infer it as an equivalent pattern |
Quick tests
Into-construction test
Does “beguile” mean that someone is induced or charmed into taking an action?
If yes: Use “beguile + person + into + -ing.”
If no: Do not replace “into + -ing” with a direct to-infinitive unless a separate reviewed construction supports your intended sentence.
Caveat: The rule is deliberately narrow: it reflects the reviewed construction rather than claiming that every historical or literary use of “beguile” follows one pattern.
Examples
The offer beguiled them into staying another night.
“Into + -ing” expresses being induced into the action.
He tried to beguile the audience into overlooking the flaw.
The person is followed by “into + -ing.”
The offer beguiled them to stay another night.
Better: The offer beguiled them into staying another night.
For the reviewed inducement pattern, use “beguiled them into staying.”
Further guidance
Boundary
The cited entry supports the into + -ing construction; it does not establish beguile + object + to-infinitive as an equivalent pattern for this meaning.
Construction
Cambridge gives direct evidence for beguile someone into doing something in the literary persuade/attract/deceive sense.
Decision
Use “beguile someone into doing” for the directly documented pattern; do not infer equal support for “beguile someone to do.”
Sources and evidence
Sources are shown with the role they play in this guide. Historical or style-sensitive claims are kept within the evidence boundary described above.
- beguile — Cambridge Dictionary (opens in a new tab)Cambridge Dictionary · Direct example evidence for beguile someone into doing something