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soothing

 - 4 dictionary results

sooth⋅ing

  [soo-thing]
Use soothing in a Sentence
–adjective
1. that soothes: a soothing voice.
2. tending to assuage pain: a soothing cough syrup.
Origin:
1590–1600; soothe + -ing 2

Related forms:
sooth⋅ing⋅ly, adverb
sooth⋅ing⋅ness, noun

soothe

  [sooth] verb, soothed, sooth⋅ing.
–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:
bef. 950; ME sothen to verify, OE sōthian, equiv. to sōth sooth + -ian inf. suffix; mod. E sense shift “to verify” > “to support (a person's statement)” > “to encourage” > “to calm”

Related forms:
soother, noun

Synonyms:
1. See comfort, allay. 2. alleviate, appease, mollify.

Antonyms:
1. upset, roil.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To soothing
soothe   (sōōth)   
v.   soothed, sooth·ing, soothes

v.   tr.

  1. To calm or placate.

  2. To ease or relieve (pain, for example).

v.   intr.
To bring comfort, composure, or relief.

[Middle English sothen, to verify, from Old English sōthian, from sōth, true; see es- in Indo-European roots.]
sooth'er n.
sooth·ing   (sōō'thĭng)   
adj.  Tending to soothe.
sooth'ing·ly adv., sooth'ing·ness n.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Cite This Source
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