I. ˈkəm(p)fə(r)t sometimes especially by clergymen -ˌfȯrt or -ȯ(ə)t; usu -d.+V noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English comfort, confort, from Old French confort, from conforter, v.
1. : strengthening aid:
a. : assistance , succor , support
optimists, those who put their faith in humanity, believers in God … will find little comfort anywhere in Jeffers' work — Time
give aid and comfort to the enemies of us all
b. : consolation in trouble or worry : solace
it is a comfort too to have a man tackle his job in the old-fashioned way — O.W.Holmes †1935
to give comfort to a bereaved parent
2.
a. : state or feeling of having relief, encouragement, or consolation
merely getting to the end of the journey provided some comfort
the sedative gave some small comfort to the patient
b. : contented enjoyment in physical or mental well-being especially in freedom from want, anxiety, pain, or trouble
living a life of ease and comfort
3. : satisfaction , enjoyment
I do not find comfort in Greek poetry as I should — H.J.Laski
having the comfort of a draw on my pipe — Mary Deasy
4. : something that gives or brings comfort:
a. : a person or thing that brings aid, support, or satisfaction
the son was the comfort of his parents' old age
b. : an appurtenance or condition furnishing mental or physical ease
the comforts of home life
bathrooms, water supplies, lighting, heating, and the whole array of domestic comforts — Henry Adams
5. chiefly South & Midland : comforter 3b
Synonyms: see rest
II. verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
Etymology: Middle English comforten, conforten, from Old French conforter, from Late Latin confortare to strengthen greatly, from Latin com- + fortis strong — more at fort
transitive verb
1. obsolete : to make strong or secure : strengthen , encourage
2. obsolete : assist , help , abet — once commonly used in law
3.
a. : to impart strength and hope to : gladden , cheer
b. : to relieve especially of mental distress : allay the grief or trouble of : console , ease
4. : to make comfortable
comforted his aching feet in a tub of hot water
intransitive verb
obsolete : to take comfort
Synonyms:
console , solace : comfort , more intimate in its suggestions than console or solace , may connote relieving, soothing, and encouraging with cheer, hope, assurance extended with sympathetic kindness
“This war will go on forever”, she would whisper. “It cannot go on for ever”, I would comfort her — H.G.Wells
he put the letter away. Later it would comfort him, as she meant it to do. Later it might make him happy — Susan Ertz
console , less intimate in suggestion, may stress alleviating grief and disappointment rather than cheering and encouraging
his father's letter gave him one of his many fits of melancholy over his own worthlessness, but the thought of the organ consoled him — Samuel Butler †1902
if you really want to console me, teach me rather to forget what has happened — Oscar Wilde
consoled herself with going to parties, spoiling her babies, and flirting with other people — Rose Macaulay
solace applies to any agency tending to relieve grief, pain, disappointment, chagrin, weariness, despondency
his father's death left Ariosto at the head of a large family, for which he had to provide out of a scanty patrimony. He solaced his cares by classical studies, which made him a fair Latin poet — Richard Garnett
though you rail against the bar and the imperfect medium of speech, you will be solaced, even in your chagrin, by a sense of injured innocence — B.N.Cardozo
liberals are constantly tempted to depart from their difficult path and either embrace some simple panacea or else solace themselves with a rather too easy skepticism — M.R.Cohen