— soother , n.
/soohdh/ , v. , soothed, soothing .
v.t.
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.
v.i.
3. to exert a soothing influence; bring tranquillity, calm, ease, or comfort.
[ bef. 950; ME sothen to verify, OE sothian, equiv. to soth SOOTH + -ian inf. suffix; mod. E sense shift "to verify" > "to support (a person's statement)" > "to encourage" > "to calm" ]
Syn. 1. See comfort, allay. 2. alleviate, appease, mollify.
Ant. 1. upset, roil.