expression, adverb
coaxingly; by hook or by crook; carefully nursing along
Describes doing something while repeatedly coaxing, tricking, or carefully managing a difficult situation, person, or object to keep it going. Often used with verbs like 使う, 動かす, 走らせる, 説得する.
古い車をだましだまし乗っている。
I'm nursing my old car along, coaxing it to keep running.
彼は上司をだましだまし説得して、予算を通した。
He coaxed and cajoled his boss into approving the budget.
だます is a verb meaning 'to deceive' or 'to trick'. だましだまし is an adverbial phrase derived from it, focusing on the manner of doing something while repeatedly applying small deceptions or coaxing.
ごまかす means 'to deceive' or 'to cover up', often implying evasion or misdirection. だましだまし emphasizes the process of coaxing or nursing along, not necessarily hiding a truth.
Reduplication of the continuative form (連用形) of the verb だます (to deceive, to trick), literally 'deceiving-deceiving', used adverbially to mean 'while repeatedly coaxing or tricking'.