soothe
pronunciation
How to pronounce soothe in British English:
UK [suːð]
How to pronounce soothe in American English:
US [suːð]
-
- Verb:
- give moral or emotional strength to
- cause to feel better
Word Origin
- soothe (v.)
- Old English soðian "show to be true," from soð "true" (see sooth). Sense of "quiet, comfort, mollify" is first recorded 1690s, via notion of "to assuage one by asserting that what he says is true" (i.e. to be a yes-man), a sense attested from 1560s (and compare Old English gesoð "a parasite, flatterer"). Meaning "reduce the intensity" (of a pain, etc.) is from 1711. Related: Soothed; soothing.
Antonym
Example
- 1. Was there a communications strategy to soothe anxious voters ?
- 2. Wall street banks held conference calls to soothe anxious clients .
- 3. Meanwhile , their conservative partners would soothe them with policy concessions .
- 4. Double meaning can help soothe the awkwardness of bribe-paying .
- 5. Music hath charms to soothe the savage beast .