soothe
Use Soothe in a sentence
verb (used with object)
1.
to tranquilize or calm, as a person or the feelings; relieve, comfort, or refresh: soothing someone's anger; to soothe someone with a hot drink.
2.
to mitigate, assuage, or allay, as pain, sorrow, or doubt: to soothe sunburned skin.
verb (used without object)
3.
to exert a soothing influence; bring tranquillity, calm, ease, or comfort.
Origin:
before 950; Middle English sothen to verify, Old English sōthian, equivalent to sōth sooth + -ian infinitive suffix; Modern English sense shift “to verify” > “to support (a person's statement)” > “to encourage” > “to calm”
before 950; Middle English sothen to verify, Old English sōthian, equivalent to sōth sooth + -ian infinitive suffix; Modern English sense shift “to verify” > “to support (a person's statement)” > “to encourage” > “to calm”
Related forms
sooth·er, noun
self-soothed, adjective
un·soothed, adjective
Antonyms
1. upset, roil.
1. upset, roil.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Link To soothe
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Soothe
is one of our favorite verbs.
So is hornswoggle. Does it mean:
| to flee; abscond: |
| to swindle, cheat, hoodwink, or hoax. |
Collins
World English Dictionary
soothe (suːð) ![[Click for IPA pronunciation guide]](http://static.sfdict.com/dictstatic/g/d/dictionary_questionbutton_default.gif) | |
| —vb | |
| 1. | (tr) to make calm or tranquil |
| 2. | (tr) to relieve or assuage (pain, longing, etc) |
| 3. | (intr) to bring tranquillity or relief |
| [C16 (in the sense: to mollify): from Old English sōthian to prove; related to Old Norse sanna to assert; see | |
| 'soother | |
| —n | |
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
Cite This Source
Etymonline
Word Origin & History
soothe
O.E. soðian "show to be true," from soð "true" (see sooth). Sense of "quiet, comfort, mollify" is first recorded 1697, on notion of "to assuage one by asserting that what he says is true" (i.e. to be a yes-man), a sense attested from 1568.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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Example sentences
Scholars do ascribe calming qualities to the color: to soothe the unruly, many drunk tanks and jail cells are painted pink.
She coached him with his dreadful writing and tried to soothe his irrational rage.
Cool compresses may help soothe allergic conjunctivitis.
The government has tried to soothe public nerves by promising to protect investors.
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