Standard Lemma guide
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
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verb
To restore to ease, comfort, or tranquility; relieve; calm; quiet; refresh.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: transitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: becalm, placate, allay, ameliorate, appease, assuage, bestill, bring down, calm, calm down, cool down, cool off, delay, hose down, lull, mollify, pacify, peacen, put at ease, quell, relax, soothe, still, temper
Antonyms: none provided
verb
To allay; assuage; mitigate; soften.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: transitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
To smooth over; render less obnoxious.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: rare, transitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
To calm or placate someone or some situation.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: transitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
To ease or relieve pain or suffering.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: transitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: comfort, solace, besoothe, cheer, console, soothe
Antonyms: none provided
verb
To temporise by assent, concession, flattery, or cajolery.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: intransitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
To bring comfort or relief.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: intransitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
To keep in good humour; wheedle; cajole; flatter.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: transitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: jolly, lay it on thick, puff, brush up to, collogue, flatter, flatterize, glaver, gloze, make fair weather, palaver, preen, soothe, speak well of, stroke, tickle the ear
Antonyms: none provided
verb
To prove true; verify; confirm as true.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: obsolete, transitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
To confirm the statements of; maintain the truthfulness of (a person); bear out.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: obsolete, transitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
To assent to; yield to; humour by agreement or concession.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: obsolete, transitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: comply, give way, accede, agree, allow, cave in, come around, come round, concede, grant, soothe, yield
Antonyms: none provided
verb
cause to feel better
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: irritate
Broader terms: relieve, alleviate, palliate, assuage
verb
give moral or emotional strength to
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: comfort, console, solace
Antonyms: none provided
Narrower terms: calm, calm down, quiet, tranquilize, tranquillize, tranquillise, quieten, lull, still, allay, relieve, ease
History
From Middle English sothen (“to verify, prove the validity of”), from Old English sōþian (“to verify, prove, confirm, bear witness to”), from Proto-West Germanic *sanþōn, from Proto-Germanic *sanþōną (“to prove, certify, acknowledge, testify”), from Proto-Indo-European *h1es- (“to be”). Cognate with Danish sande (“to verify”), Swedish sanna (“to verify”), Icelandic sanna (“to verify”). See also sooth. Displaced Old English frēfran, ġefrēfran (“to comfort, console, soothe”), and partially displaced Old English stillan, ġestillan (“to calm, become calm, pacify, quieten”) (whence modern still). The semantic evolution of "to verify, prove the validity of" → "to comfort" (first attested in the late 17th century) comes from the notion of assuaging someone by supporting the truth of what they say.
Across languages
107 source translations are retained for this English entry.
