mollify

• POS: Verb (usu participle)
• HYPHEN: mol=li=fy

CIDE DICTIONARY

mollify, v. t. [F. mollifier, L. mollificare; mollis soft + -ficare (in comp.) to make. See Enmollient, Moil, v. t., and -fy.].

•  To soften; to make tender; to reduce the hardness, harshness, or asperity of; to qualify; as, to mollify the ground.  [1913 Webster]

  "With sweet science mollified their stubborn hearts."  [1913 Webster]
•  To assuage, as pain or irritation, to appease, as excited feeling or passion; to pacify; to calm.  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

mollify, v.tr. (-ies, -ied)
1 appease, pacify.
2 reduce the severity of; soften.

Derivative

mollification n. mollifier n.

Etymology

ME f. F mollifier or L mollificare f. mollis soft

THESAURUS

mollify

abate, allay, alleviate, anesthetize, appease, assuage, benumb, calm, calm down, compose, conciliate, cool, cradle, cushion, deaden, deaden the pain, decrease, defuse, diminish, dulcify, dull, ease, ease matters, even out, fluff, foment, gentle, give relief, hush, knead, laxate, lay, lay the dust, lessen, lighten, limber, limber up, loosen, lull, mash, massage, mellow, milden, mitigate, numb, pacify, pad, palliate, placate, plump, poultice, pour balm into, pour balm on, pour oil on, propitiate, pulp, quell, quiet, reduce, relax, relieve, rest, rock, rock to sleep, salve, shake up, slacken, slake, smash, smooth, smooth down, smooth over, smoothen, soften, soften up, soothe, squash, stabilize, steady, still, stupe, subdue, supple, sweeten, temper, tenderize, tone down, tranquilize, tune down

ROGET THESAURUS

mollify

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.

Softness

VB render soft, soften, mollify, mellow, relax, temper, mash, knead, squash, bend, yield, relent, relax, give, plasticize'.