allay

• POS: Verb (usu participle), Verb (transitive)
• HYPHEN: al=lay

CIDE DICTIONARY

allay, v. t. [OE. alaien, aleggen, to lay down, put down, humble, put an end to, AS. ālecgan; ā- (cf. Goth. us-, G. er-, orig. meaning out) + lecgan to lay; but confused with old forms of allege, alloy, alegge. See Lay.].

•  To make quiet or put at rest; to pacify or appease; to quell; to calm; as, to allay popular excitement; to allay the tumult of the passions.  [1913 Webster]
•  To alleviate; to abate; to mitigate; as, to allay the severity of affliction or the bitterness of adversity.  [1913 Webster]

  "It would allay the burning quality of that fell poison."  [1913 Webster]

Syn. -- To alleviate; check; repress; assuage; appease; abate; subdue; destroy; compose; soothe; calm; quiet. See Alleviate.

allay, v. t. 

 To diminish in strength; to abate; to subside.  Shak.  [1913 Webster]

allay, n. 

 Alleviation; abatement; check.  [1913 Webster]

allay, n. 

 Alloy.  Chaucer.  [1913 Webster]

allay, v. t. 

 To mix (metals); to mix with a baser metal; to alloy; to deteriorate.  Fuller.  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

allay, v.tr.
1 diminish (fear, suspicion, etc.).
2 relieve or alleviate (pain, hunger, etc.).

Etymology

OE alecgan (as A-(2), LAY(1))

THESAURUS

allay

abate, alleviate, anesthetize, appease, assuage, attemper, balm, bank the fire, benumb, blunt, calm, chasten, cloy, compose, conciliate, constrain, control, cool, cram, cushion, damp, dampen, de-emphasize, deaden, deaden the pain, defuse, deliver, diminish, disburden, disembarrass, disencumber, downplay, dulcify, dull, ease, ease matters, engorge, extenuate, feast, feed, fill, fill up, foment, free, give relief, glut, gorge, gratify, jade, keep within bounds, lay, lay the dust, lenify, lessen, lighten, lull, mitigate, moderate, modulate, mollify, numb, obtund, overdose, overfeed, overfill, overgorge, oversaturate, overstuff, pacify, pad, pall, palliate, placate, play down, poultice, pour balm into, pour balm on, pour oil on, propitiate, quench, quiet, quieten, reduce, reduce the temperature, regale, release, relieve, restrain, salve, sate, satiate, satisfy, saturate, settle, slacken, slake, slow down, smooth, smooth down, smooth over, smother, sober, sober down, soften, soothe, stifle, still, stuff, stupe, subdue, supersaturate, suppress, surfeit, tame, temper, tone down, tranquilize, tune down, underplay, weaken

ROGET THESAURUS

allay

Pacification

VB pacify, tranquilize, compose, allay, reconcile, propitiate, placate, conciliate, meet halfway, hold out the olive branch, heal the breach, make peace, restore harmony, bring to terms, settle matters, arrange matters, accommodate matters, accommodate differences, set straight, make up a quarrel, tantas componere lites, come to an understanding, come to terms, bridge over, hush up, make it, make matters up, shake hands, mend one's fences, raise a siege, lift a siege, put up the sword, sheathe the sword, bury the hatchet, lay down one's arms, turn swords into plowshares, smoke the calumet of peace, close the temple of Janus, keep the peace, be pacified, come round.

Moderation

VB be moderate, keep within bounds, keep within compass, sober down, settle down, keep the peace, remit, relent, take in sail, moderate, soften, mitigate, temper, accoy, attemper, contemper, mollify, lenify, dulcify, dull, take off the edge, blunt, obtund, sheathe, subdue, chasten, sober down, tone down, smooth down, weaken, lessen, check palliate, tranquilize, pacify, assuage, appease, swag, lull, soothe, compose, still, calm, calm down, cool, quiet, hush, quell, sober, pacify, tame, damp, lay, allay, rebate, slacken, smooth, alleviate, rock to sleep, deaden, smooth, throw cold water on, throw a wet blanket over, turn off, slake, curb, tame, smooth over, pour oil on the waves, pour oil on the troubled waters, pour balm into, mattre de l'eau dans son vin, go out like a lamb, roar you as gently as any sucking dove.

Relief

VB relieve, ease, alleviate, mitigate, palliate, soothe, salve, soften, soften down, foment, stupe, poultice, assuage, allay, cheer, comfort, console, enliven, encourage, bear up, pat on the back, give comfort, set at ease, gladden the heart, cheer the heart, inspirit, invigorate, remedy, cure, refresh, pour balm into, pour oil on, smooth the ruffled brow of care, temper the wind to the shorn lamb, lay the flattering unction to one's soul, disburden, take a load off one's chest, get a load off one's chest, take off a load of care, be relieved, breathe more freely, draw a long breath, take comfort, dry the tears, dry the eyes, wipe the tears, wipe the eyes.