lenientadj.n.
/ˈliːnɪənt/, U.S. /ˈlinjənt/, /ˈliniənt/ A. adj.
1. Softening, soothing, relaxing, both in a material and immaterial sense; emollient. †Const. of. Somewhat archaic.
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the mind > emotion > calmness > [adjective] > composing or calming
lullingc1440
quieting1634
composing1644
appeasing1648
lenient1652
quietivea1683
hesychastic1694
anodyne1790
tranquillizing1801
sobering1816
becalming1827
antiphlogistic1840
calminga1853
anodynic1904
anodynous1904
stress-relieving1947
chill-out1990
the world > health and disease > healing > medicines or physic > medicines for specific purpose > analgesic > [adjective] > soothing
sedativec1425
lenitive1543
lenifying1617
demulcing1619
lenient1652
levative1657
levigating1710
demulcent1732
temperating1753
demulcetive1756
soothing1899
1652 J. French York-shire Spaw viii. 74 Taking..a little Cassia, or some such lenient medicament.
1671 J. Milton Samson Agonistes 659 Lenient of grief and anxious thought. View more context for this quotation
1732 J. Arbuthnot Pract. Rules of Diet i. 271 One should begin with the gentlest [Remedies] at first, as the lenient, relaxing, diluent, demulcent.
1760 W. Dodd Hymn to Good-nature in Poems (1767) 4 Touch with the lenient balm of thy soft love..the heart morose.
1791 E. Darwin Bot. Garden: Pt. I i. 84 The rapturous God..With lenient words her virgin fears disarms.
1805 J. Foster Ess. iv. viii. 251 Softened by the lenient hand of time.
1810 G. Crabbe Borough viii. 109 Nor these alone possess the lenient power Of soothing Life in the desponding hour.
1832 W. C. Bryant Poems (new ed.) 103 When thy reason..taught Thy hand to practise best the lenient art.
2. Of persons, their actions and dispositions, also of an enactment: Indisposed to severity; gentle, mild, tolerant. Const. to, towards.
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society > authority > lack of strictness > [adjective] > lenient
mildeOE
eði modesa1325
easyc1325
sweet1607
lenitive1620
lenient1787
go-easy1901
1787 G. Winter New Syst. Husbandry 170 The lenient laws of this happy isle do not compel men to get or save.
1828 I. D'Israeli Comm. Life Charles I I. vi. 153 This venerable Protestant was..disgusted at the lenient measures pursued by the Queen.
1832 H. Martineau Ella of Garveloch vii. 86 Archie's family thought him much too lenient towards Mr. Callum.
1857 H. T. Buckle Hist. Civilisation Eng. I. iv. 201 The greatest observer and the most profound thinker is invariably the most lenient judge.
1870 C. Dickens Edwin Drood xiii. 99 We have so much reason to be very lenient to each other.
1879 J. A. Froude Cæsar xii. 155 Cicero, who was inclined at first to be severe, took on reflection a more lenient view.
A soothing appliance; an emollient.
ΘΚΠ
the world > health and disease > healing > medicines or physic > medicines for specific purpose > analgesic > [noun] > soothing medicine
lenitive1563
acopon1566
mitigator1586
diminutive1596
assuagement1599
mitigatory1656
levative1657
lenient1672
balsamic1713
demulcent1732
assuasive1829
mitigant1838
obtundent1842
torpent1882
chill pill1981
1672 R. Wiseman Treat. Wounds i. ix. 99 I..cleansed the wound, and drest him up with lenients.
1684 tr. T. Bonet Guide Pract. Physician iii. 50 In the Stone in the Kidneys..I think it safer to use Lenients.
1767 B. Gooch Pract. Treat. Wounds I. 205 How necessary it may sometimes be found..to use lenients and anodynes.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1902; most recently modified version published online June 2022).
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adj.n.1652