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Definition of palliate - 5 dictionary results

pal⋅li⋅ate

  [pal-ee-eyt]
Use palliate in a Sentence
–verb (used with object), -at⋅ed, -at⋅ing.
1. to relieve or lessen without curing; mitigate; alleviate.
2. to try to mitigate or conceal the gravity of (an offense) by excuses, apologies, etc.; extenuate.
Origin:
1540–50; < LL palliātus cloaked, covered. See pallium, -ate 1

Related forms:
pal⋅li⋅a⋅tion, noun
pal⋅li⋅a⋅tor, noun
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To palliate
pal·li·ate   (pāl'ē-āt')   
tr.v.   pal·li·at·ed, pal·li·at·ing, pal·li·ates

  1. To make (an offense or crime) seem less serious; extenuate.

  2. To make less severe or intense; mitigate: tried unsuccessfully to palliate the widespread discontent.

  3. To relieve the symptoms of a disease or disorder.


[Middle English palliaten, from Late Latin palliāre, palliāt-, to cloak, palliate, from Latin pallium, cloak.]
pal'li·a'tion n., pal'li·a'tor n.
Synonyms: These verbs mean to cause a fault or offense to seem less grave or less reprehensible: palliate a crime; couldn't extenuate the malfeasance; glossing over an unethical transaction; glozing sins and iniquities; whitewashed official complicity in political extortion. See Also Synonyms at relieve.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Word Origin & History

palliate 
"to alleviate without curing," 1543 (implied in palliative), from M.L. palliatus, lit. "cloaked," from pp. of L.L. palliare "cover with a cloak, conceal," from L. pallium "cloak" (see pall (n.)).
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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Medical Dictionary

Main Entry: pal·li·ate
Pronunciation: 'pal-E-"At
Function: transitive verb
Inflected Forms: -at·ed; -at·ing
: to reduce the violence of (a disease) : ease without curing —pal·li·a·tion /"pal-E-'A-sh&n/ noun
Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary, © 2002 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
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Medical Dictionary

palliate pal·li·ate (pāl'ē-āt')
v. pal·li·at·ed, pal·li·at·ing, pal·li·ates
To reduce the severity of; to relieve somewhat.

The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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