mollifyv.

Brit.

/ˈmɒlᵻfʌɪ/, U.S.

/ˈmɑləˌfaɪ/

Forms: late Middle English–1500s molefy, late Middle English–1500s mollefye, late Middle English–1500s mollyfie, late Middle English–1500s mollyfy, late Middle English–1500s mollyfye, late Middle English–1500s molyfye, late Middle English–1600s mollifye, late Middle English–1700s molify, late Middle English–1700s mollifie, 1500s molefye, 1500s mollefy, 1500s mollofy (transmission error), 1500s molyfy, 1500s–1700s molifie, 1500s– mollify; Scottish pre-1700 molefe, pre-1700 molefie, pre-1700 molifie, pre-1700 mollife, pre-1700 mollifie, pre-1700 1700s– mollify.

Origin: Of multiple origins. Partly a borrowing from French. Partly a borrowing from Latin. Etymons: French mollifier; Latin mollificare.

Etymology: < Middle French mollifier to make soft (14th cent.; 1501 in sense ‘to become soft’; French mollifier ) and its etymon post-classical Latin mollificare to make soft (6th cent.; from 8th cent. in British sources) < classical Latin mollis soft (see moll adj.) + -ficāre -fy suffix. Compare slightly earlier mollification n., mollificative adj. and n.

a. transitive. To make soft or supple; to make tender; to reduce the hardness of. Also intransitive. Also figurative. Now rare. Perhaps Obsolete.

ΘΚΠ

the world > matter > constitution of matter > softness > soften [verb (transitive)]

neshOE

supplea1398

mollify?a1425

softa1425

soften?a1425

unharden1552

intenerate1595

malax1634

tender1725

untemper1758

leath1796

?a1425 tr. Guy de Chauliac Grande Chirurgie (N.Y. Acad. Med.) f. 109 Olde chese cocte with Juse of a swynes legge ysalted..mollifieþ hardnesse of iuncturez.

a1475 (?a1430) J. Lydgate tr. G. Deguileville Pilgrimage Life Man (Vitell.) 8399 Thow must..han a leche..Thy synwes harde to mollefye, With oynementys, to make hem plye.

a1475 (?a1430) J. Lydgate tr. G. Deguileville Pilgrimage Life Man (Vitell.) 10981 Dyamaunt, I trowe, ys noon..So indurat to mollefye As he.

1490 W. Caxton tr. Eneydos xv. 59 The erth..was alle made fatte and molyfyed wyth the blode of the bestes that were there Immolated.

1555 R. Eden Disc. Vyage rounde Worlde in tr. Peter Martyr of Angleria Decades of Newe Worlde f. 220^v These skynnes beinge made verye harde..they hunge them..in the sea..to mollifie them.

1610 G. Markham Maister-peece ii. clxxiii. 493 Manna is of equall temper hote and dry; it openeth, it mollifieth, and incarnateth.

1624 J. Donne Deuotions xiii. 323 Thou rainest vpon vs and yet doest not alwaies mollifie all our hardnesse.

1638 Bp. J. Wilkins Discov. New World (1707) xiv. 119 Metals are not rarify'd by melting, but mollify'd.

1707 tr. P. Le Lorrain de Vallemont Curiosities in Husbandry & Gardening 300 One of the..Plants is that which so mollifies the Bones, that..we cannot stand upon our Legs.

1753 Chambers's Cycl. Suppl. at Malache Such ointments as relax and mollify.

1832 W. Irving Moor's Legacy in Alhambra (1875) 161 Pedrillo Pedrugo..put a basin of hot water under his chin, and began to mollify his beard with his fingers.

1960 S. Plath Colossus 87 Water mollifies the flint lip, And daylight lays its sameness on the wall.

†b. intransitive. To become soft or tender. Obsolete. rare.

ΘΚΠ

the world > matter > constitution of matter > softness > become soft [verb (intransitive)]

nesheOE

soften?c1425

mollify1528

to give again1617

mauma1642

1528 T. Paynell tr. Arnaldus de Villa Nova in Joannes de Mediolano Regimen Sanitatis Salerni sig. O ij b Tyll tyme the meate of them mollifie, and waxe tender.

†c. to mollify the belly: to have a laxative effect on the bowels. Obsolete.

ΘΚΠ

the world > health and disease > healing > medicines or physic > medicines for specific purpose > cleansing or expelling medicines > cleanse or expel [verb (intransitive)] > act as a purge

to mollify the belly1539

scour1597

1539 T. Elyot Castel of Helthe (new ed.) 21 Quynces..taken after meate..mollifieth the bealy.

1542 A. Borde Compend. Regyment Helth xxi. sig. K.ii^v Peches doeth mollyfy the bely, and be colde.

1620 T. Venner Via Recta vii. 150 The onely property that they haue is to mollifie the belly, and procure solublenesse.

1631 D. Widdowes tr. W. A. Scribonius Nat. Philos. (new ed.) 45 It mollifieth the belly, and cureth hardnesse of the backe and belly.

†d. humorous. to mollify the fist: to bribe. Cf. to grease (a person's) hand (also palm) at grease v. 4b. Obsolete.Apparently an isolated use.

ΘΚΠ

society > trade and finance > fees and taxes > illegal payment or exaction > [verb (intransitive)] > practise bribery

to grease (a person's) hand (also palm)1528

to anoint a person's hand1542

bribe1547

whiddlec1661

to mollify the fist1698

boodle1887

to oil a person's palm1925

1698 J. Fryer New Acct. E.-India & Persia 98 Making the Merchant dance attendance till a right understanding be created betwixt the Shawbunder and them, which commonly follows when the Fist is mollified.

a. transitive. To soften in temper or disposition; to allay the anger or indignation of; to calm, pacify, appease. Frequently in passive.Formerly frequently in to mollify a person's heart (very common from the 15th to the 17th cent.).

ΘΚΠ

society > society and the community > dissent > absence of dissension or peace > bringing about concord or peace > bring to peace (strife or discord) [verb (transitive)] > appease or propitiate

soft?c1225

queema1325

appeasec1374

pleasea1382

softena1382

mollifya1450

pacifya1500

apeace1523

temper1525

mitigatea1535

qualify?c1550

thaw1582

propitiate1583

aslake1590

smooth1608

to lay down1629

addulce1655

sweeten1657

acquiesce1659

gentle1663

palliate1678

placate1678

conciliate1782

to pour oil on the waters (also on troubled waters)1847

square1859

square1945

the world > action or operation > behaviour > good behaviour > kindness > gentleness or mildness > treat gently [verb (transitive)] > make gentle or mild

soft?c1225

mild1340

melta1382

softenc1410

mollifya1450

amollish1474

amolify1483

ameeka1500

mellow1593

dulcify1647

a1450 (c1412) T. Hoccleve De Regimine Principum (Harl. 4866) (1897) 2638 Lat vs mollifie Our hertes stoute to his genterie.

1526 W. Bonde Pylgrimage of Perfection iii. sig. MMiii Thou shalt..molifye his herte that enuyeth the.

1560 J. Daus tr. J. Sleidane Commentaries f. ccccviij^v Ambassadours, whiche might mollifie their myndes & perswade them to peace.

1599 M. Drayton Idea in Englands Heroicall Epist. (new ed.) sig. P8 And molifie the slaughtering Galliglasse.

1616 J. Hayward Sanctuarie Troubled Soule (new ed.) i. §3. 59 Mollifie my stony heart, illuminate my misty minde.

1652 tr. G. de Costes de La Calprenède Cassandra ii. 93 Conjurements, able to have mollified a heart more hardned than the Princesse's.

1668 J. Dryden Sr Martin Mar-all iii. 28 I must mollifie him with money.

a1715 Bp. G. Burnet Hist. Own Time (1724) I. 213 Even the Presbyterians were much mollified..by his mild and heavenly course of life.

1724 M. Davys Reform'd Coquet 78 If Prayers and Tears could mollify an unrelenting obdurate Heart, yours had long ago been soften'd into Justice and Pity.

1754 D. Hume Hist. Great Brit. I. v. 271 To mollify, by these indulgences, the rage of his most furious persecutors.

1850 N. Hawthorne Scarlet Let. xix. 255 Pearl, not a whit startled at her mother's threats, any more than mollified by her entreaties, now suddenly burst into a fit of passion.

1872 W. Black Strange Adventures Phaeton xxvii ‘Oh, as you please’, said the young man, a trifle mollified.

1881 A. Trollope Ayala's Angel I. xxii. 270 It was at first suggested that he should..endeavour to mollify the stony heart of Aunt Dosett.

1917 E. Wharton Summer i. 15 He added the last phrase so respectfully that she was mollified.

1956 S. Beckett Waiting for Godot (1959) i. 31 He wants to mollify me, so that I'll give up the idea of parting with him.

1983 W. Byron tr. A. Le Vot F. Scott Fitzgerald xvii. 287 That was indeed her role.., relaying an angry husband's..messages and mollifying him with lies.

b. intransitive. To become softened in temper or disposition; to become more kindly or genial; to relax one's severity, become less angry or obdurate; to relent. Now rare.

ΘΚΠ

the world > action or operation > behaviour > good behaviour > kindness > gentleness or mildness > be mild, gentle, or tolerant [verb (intransitive)] > become

melta1225

to-melta1240

mollifya1530

relaxate1598

relax1688

mellow1737

a1530 W. Bonde Pylgrimage of Perfeccyon (1531) f. 246 Shall make the moost harde herted persone that is, to mollyfy & melte.

1531 W. Tyndale Answere Mores Dialoge f. cxxi The herte here begynneth to mollyfye and wax softe.

a1586 Sir P. Sidney Arcadia (1593) iv. sig. Nn3 Philinax feeling his hart more & more mollifieng vnto her, renewed [etc.].

1694 J. Dryden Love Triumphant v. i. 71 She has a delicious Tongue of her own, and I begin to mollifie.

1741 H. Walpole Let. 23 Nov. in Lett. to H. Mann (1823) I. 29 He..owned his father had mollified, but hoped she would excuse him.

1823 Examiner 268/2 The father mollifies and is reconciled to the marriage.

1887 T. Hardy Woodlanders III. i. 14 By this time Melbury's mood had a little mollified.

1988 J. Brady Stone of Heart xv. 182 ‘Nothing as sharp as a good desk-man in a fancy hotel, is there, sir?’ the detective said, mollifying. His efforts did not break the cast of skepticism on Kilmartin's face.

†3. transitive. To enervate, enfeeble, weaken. Obsolete.

ΘΚΠ

the mind > mental capacity > lack of understanding > weakness of intellect > make weak [verb (transitive)]

faintc1386

mollify1490

weaken1536

pamper1576

touch1607

unspirit1607

disnervea1618

petrifya1631

dissinew1640

unbrace1711

atrophy1865

unstring1897

1490 W. Caxton tr. Eneydos xii. 42 This man onely hath molyfyed my wyttes, and perturbed the corage of myn opynyon firste.

a1500 tr. A. Chartier Quadrilogue (Rawl.) (1974) 240 The wisedom may nat availe but be as a thing voide, for the prowesse is mollified [c1475 Univ. Oxf. the manhode swaged], the constaunce broken, the strenght feblischid.

?1577 J. Northbrooke Spiritus est Vicarius Christi: Treat. Dicing 131 Whose mynde is so well ordered..that these wanton dauncings..woulde not corrupte ouercome, and vtterlye mollifie?

1673 E. Hickeringill Gregory 318 Impressions of fear that mollifie and unman vulgar and narrow spirits.

4. To reduce the severity of.

a. transitive. To temper or abate the violence of (an emotion); to lessen the harshness or intensity of (heat, cold, etc.); to improve or ameliorate (a state, condition, etc.); †to relieve (care or distress) (obsolete).

ΘΚΠ

the world > action or operation > manner of action > lack of violence, severity, or intensity > make less violent or severe [verb (transitive)]

temperc1000

keelc1175

slakea1300

abate?c1335

settle1338

swagea1340

modifyc1385

rebatea1398

bate1398

moder1414

releasea1425

remiss?a1425

moderate1435

alethe?1440

delaya1450

appal1470

addulce1477

mollify1496

mean?a1513

relent1535

qualify1536

temperatea1540

aplake1578

slack1589

relaxate1598

milden1603

mitigate1611

relax1612

alleniate1615

allay1628

alloy1634

castigate1653

smoothen1655

tendera1656

mitify1656

meeken1662

remitigate1671

obviscate1684

slacken1685

chastise1704

dulcify1744

absorb1791

demulceate1817

chasten1856

modulate1974

mediate1987

the world > action or operation > manner of action > lack of violence, severity, or intensity > make less violent or severe [verb (transitive)] > weaken (something immaterial)

to thin off, downc900

feeblea1340

allayc1450

debilite1483

mollify1496

weak1502

geld?1507

water1529

appale?1530

labefact?1539

debilitate1541

mortify1553

effeeble1571

dilutea1575

soften1576

unsinew1599

melt1600

infringe1604

weaken1609

unbenda1616

dissinew1640

slacken1663

thin1670

resolve1715

imbecilitate1809

imbecile1829

to let down1832

to water down1832

1496 Epit. Iaspar Late Duke of Beddeforde (Pynson) sig. aiii To mollyfy oure monys.

1542 H. Brinkelow Lamentacion sig. Biv Their absence shuld not quentch ner molyfye your loue towarde your poare brethern.

1557 Earl of Surrey et al. Songes & Sonettes sig. U.i For Zepharus doth mollifye the colde and blustering windes.

1577 B. Googe tr. C. Heresbach Foure Bks. Husbandry ii. f. 85 The extreme heate of the sunne, is something mollifyed with the colde blastes of the winde.

1612 M. Drayton Poly-olbion xii. 199 Refresh you in my bathes, and mollifie your care With comfortable wines and meats.

1653 Ld. Vaux tr. A. Godeau Life St. Paul 238 His great courage could not be mollified.

1710 C. Johnson Force of Friendship i. i. 4 When Time shall molifie his rigorous Hate.

1715 tr. G. Panciroli Hist. Memorable Things Lost II. v. 298 Sugar..mollifies the Acrimony, and makes meek the Crabbedness of tart and sour things.

1771 M. S. Montague Orig. Ess. on Woman 31 Form'd with soft Accents Reason to enforce, And mollify the Passions in their Course.

a1833 R. Watson in C. H. Spurgeon Treasury of David (1878) V. Ps. cxiii. 7 What sources of comfort does it [sc. Christianity] open to mollify the troubles of life!

1891 G. Gissing New Grub St. II. xxi. 209 In October the sun reappeared and it seemed to mollify the literary man's mood.

1909 A. Bierce Coll. Wks. 289 Your doom I'll mollify and pains abate.

1979 Maclean's 11 June 18/1 For committed indépendantistes the promise of economic association is a necessary evil required to mollify public fears of secession.

1988 J. Seelve in O. Wister Virginian Introd. p. xxx The importance of gardening..to westering women who hoped to mollify..the harsh wilderness environment.

b. transitive. To lessen the harshness or severity of (an expression, law, judgment, etc.); to moderate (a demand, requirement). Also: to represent in favourable terms; to express euphemistically. Now rare.

ΘΚΠ

the world > action or operation > manner of action > lack of violence, severity, or intensity > make less violent or severe [verb (transitive)] > the severity of (something)

mollifya1500

mitigate1571

palliate1665

the world > action or operation > manner of action > lack of violence, severity, or intensity > make less violent or severe [verb (transitive)] > specific laws or demands

mollifya1500

a1500 tr. A. Chartier Quadrilogue (Rawl.) (1974) 236 Who that cowde shewe me..any amendement of this, thanne shulde the rigour of my wourdis be the more mollified.

1523 Ld. Berners tr. J. Froissart Chron. (1812) I. ccccxxiv. 741 The erle of Flaunders..molefyed the mater as moche as he might.

1549 M. Coverdale et al. tr. Erasmus Paraphr. Newe Test. II. 2 Cor. Argt. f. xliii He mollifieth the sharpenes vsed in his former epistle.

1590 Digest Decisions Justiciary Court in Dict. Older Sc. Tongue M. 12 (at cited word) We being movit of our clemencie to molifie and of our royell authoritie to dispone with the executioun of the dome pronunceit.

1681 J. Dryden Spanish Fryar v. ii. 75 Now mince the Sin, And mollifie Damnation with a Phrase.

1703 Clarendon's Hist. Rebellion II. viii. 439 They would, by yielding to some things, when they refused others, sooner prevail with the Houses to mollifie their demands.

1798 T. Jefferson Let. 1 June in Writings (1903) IX. 48 Our alien bill struggles hard for a passage. It has been considerably mollified.

1880 Expositor 11 469 The Apostle..could easily and euphoniously have modified and mollified his expression.

†5. transitive. To impart beauty to; to adorn, embellish. Obsolete. rare.

ΚΠ

a1763 W. Shenstone Wks. Verse & Prose (1764) I. 308 The vocal flute..Crowns his delight, and mollifies the scene.

6. Mathematics.

a. intransitive. To generate a smooth approximation of a function (as by means of a mollifier: see mollifier n. 2).

ΚΠ

1965 Amer. Jrnl. Math. 87 271 Q_η and Q_η* are integral mollifiers, mollifying in the y′ directions.

1985 Ann. Probability 13 679 We extend ϕ continuously to a function on all of Rⁿ..and mollify with the smooth kernel G_c(x).

1985 Trans. Amer. Math. Soc. 291 182 If u vanishes near {t = 0} × Ω and {t = T} × Ω, one mollifies in x as before and then in t.

b. transitive. To operate on (a function) with a mollifier (mollifier n. 2) in order to generate a smooth approximation of it.

ΚΠ

1966 Trans. Amer. Math. Soc. 123 459 Instead of assuming u ∈ C^∞, it suffices to assume that u is locally integrable and is a generalized solution. This is seen by mollifying u and applying our results to the mollified function.

1984 Proc. Amer. Math. Soc. 90 88 By mollifying the original function using a radial approximate identity we can assume that f ∈ C^∞(Bⁿ).

1992 Math. of Computation 58 689 A calculation shows that mollifying x(·) will yield a C^∞ approximation x_ε(·) such that [etc.].

This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, September 2002; most recently modified version published online March 2022).

单词	mollify
释义	mollifyv. Brit. /ˈmɒlᵻfʌɪ/, U.S. /ˈmɑləˌfaɪ/ Forms: late Middle English–1500s molefy, late Middle English–1500s mollefye, late Middle English–1500s mollyfie, late Middle English–1500s mollyfy, late Middle English–1500s mollyfye, late Middle English–1500s molyfye, late Middle English–1600s mollifye, late Middle English–1700s molify, late Middle English–1700s mollifie, 1500s molefye, 1500s mollefy, 1500s mollofy (transmission error), 1500s molyfy, 1500s–1700s molifie, 1500s– mollify; Scottish pre-1700 molefe, pre-1700 molefie, pre-1700 molifie, pre-1700 mollife, pre-1700 mollifie, pre-1700 1700s– mollify. Origin: Of multiple origins. Partly a borrowing from French. Partly a borrowing from Latin. Etymons: French mollifier; Latin mollificare. Etymology: < Middle French mollifier to make soft (14th cent.; 1501 in sense ‘to become soft’; French mollifier ) and its etymon post-classical Latin mollificare to make soft (6th cent.; from 8th cent. in British sources) < classical Latin mollis soft (see moll adj.) + -ficāre -fy suffix. Compare slightly earlier mollification n., mollificative adj. and n. 1. a. transitive. To make soft or supple; to make tender; to reduce the hardness of. Also intransitive. Also figurative. Now rare. Perhaps Obsolete. ΘΚΠ the world > matter > constitution of matter > softness > soften [verb (transitive)] neshOE supplea1398 mollify?a1425 softa1425 soften?a1425 unharden1552 intenerate1595 malax1634 tender1725 untemper1758 leath1796 ?a1425 tr. Guy de Chauliac Grande Chirurgie (N.Y. Acad. Med.) f. 109 Olde chese cocte with Juse of a swynes legge ysalted..mollifieþ hardnesse of iuncturez. a1475 (?a1430) J. Lydgate tr. G. Deguileville Pilgrimage Life Man (Vitell.) 8399 Thow must..han a leche..Thy synwes harde to mollefye, With oynementys, to make hem plye. a1475 (?a1430) J. Lydgate tr. G. Deguileville Pilgrimage Life Man (Vitell.) 10981 Dyamaunt, I trowe, ys noon..So indurat to mollefye As he. 1490 W. Caxton tr. Eneydos xv. 59 The erth..was alle made fatte and molyfyed wyth the blode of the bestes that were there Immolated. 1555 R. Eden Disc. Vyage rounde Worlde in tr. Peter Martyr of Angleria Decades of Newe Worlde f. 220^v These skynnes beinge made verye harde..they hunge them..in the sea..to mollifie them. 1610 G. Markham Maister-peece ii. clxxiii. 493 Manna is of equall temper hote and dry; it openeth, it mollifieth, and incarnateth. 1624 J. Donne Deuotions xiii. 323 Thou rainest vpon vs and yet doest not alwaies mollifie all our hardnesse. 1638 Bp. J. Wilkins Discov. New World (1707) xiv. 119 Metals are not rarify'd by melting, but mollify'd. 1707 tr. P. Le Lorrain de Vallemont Curiosities in Husbandry & Gardening 300 One of the..Plants is that which so mollifies the Bones, that..we cannot stand upon our Legs. 1753 Chambers's Cycl. Suppl. at Malache Such ointments as relax and mollify. 1832 W. Irving Moor's Legacy in Alhambra (1875) 161 Pedrillo Pedrugo..put a basin of hot water under his chin, and began to mollify his beard with his fingers. 1960 S. Plath Colossus 87 Water mollifies the flint lip, And daylight lays its sameness on the wall. †b. intransitive. To become soft or tender. Obsolete. rare. ΘΚΠ the world > matter > constitution of matter > softness > become soft [verb (intransitive)] nesheOE soften?c1425 mollify1528 to give again1617 mauma1642 1528 T. Paynell tr. Arnaldus de Villa Nova in Joannes de Mediolano Regimen Sanitatis Salerni sig. O ij b Tyll tyme the meate of them mollifie, and waxe tender. †c. to mollify the belly: to have a laxative effect on the bowels. Obsolete. ΘΚΠ the world > health and disease > healing > medicines or physic > medicines for specific purpose > cleansing or expelling medicines > cleanse or expel [verb (intransitive)] > act as a purge to mollify the belly1539 scour1597 1539 T. Elyot Castel of Helthe (new ed.) 21 Quynces..taken after meate..mollifieth the bealy. 1542 A. Borde Compend. Regyment Helth xxi. sig. K.ii^v Peches doeth mollyfy the bely, and be colde. 1620 T. Venner Via Recta vii. 150 The onely property that they haue is to mollifie the belly, and procure solublenesse. 1631 D. Widdowes tr. W. A. Scribonius Nat. Philos. (new ed.) 45 It mollifieth the belly, and cureth hardnesse of the backe and belly. †d. humorous. to mollify the fist: to bribe. Cf. to grease (a person's) hand (also palm) at grease v. 4b. Obsolete.Apparently an isolated use. ΘΚΠ society > trade and finance > fees and taxes > illegal payment or exaction > [verb (intransitive)] > practise bribery to grease (a person's) hand (also palm)1528 to anoint a person's hand1542 bribe1547 whiddlec1661 to mollify the fist1698 boodle1887 to oil a person's palm1925 1698 J. Fryer New Acct. E.-India & Persia 98 Making the Merchant dance attendance till a right understanding be created betwixt the Shawbunder and them, which commonly follows when the Fist is mollified. 2. a. transitive. To soften in temper or disposition; to allay the anger or indignation of; to calm, pacify, appease. Frequently in passive.Formerly frequently in to mollify a person's heart (very common from the 15th to the 17th cent.). ΘΚΠ society > society and the community > dissent > absence of dissension or peace > bringing about concord or peace > bring to peace (strife or discord) [verb (transitive)] > appease or propitiate soft?c1225 queema1325 appeasec1374 pleasea1382 softena1382 mollifya1450 pacifya1500 apeace1523 temper1525 mitigatea1535 qualify?c1550 thaw1582 propitiate1583 aslake1590 smooth1608 to lay down1629 addulce1655 sweeten1657 acquiesce1659 gentle1663 palliate1678 placate1678 conciliate1782 to pour oil on the waters (also on troubled waters)1847 square1859 square1945 the world > action or operation > behaviour > good behaviour > kindness > gentleness or mildness > treat gently [verb (transitive)] > make gentle or mild soft?c1225 mild1340 melta1382 softenc1410 mollifya1450 amollish1474 amolify1483 ameeka1500 mellow1593 dulcify1647 a1450 (c1412) T. Hoccleve De Regimine Principum (Harl. 4866) (1897) 2638 Lat vs mollifie Our hertes stoute to his genterie. 1526 W. Bonde Pylgrimage of Perfection iii. sig. MMiii Thou shalt..molifye his herte that enuyeth the. 1560 J. Daus tr. J. Sleidane Commentaries f. ccccviij^v Ambassadours, whiche might mollifie their myndes & perswade them to peace. 1599 M. Drayton Idea in Englands Heroicall Epist. (new ed.) sig. P8 And molifie the slaughtering Galliglasse. 1616 J. Hayward Sanctuarie Troubled Soule (new ed.) i. §3. 59 Mollifie my stony heart, illuminate my misty minde. 1652 tr. G. de Costes de La Calprenède Cassandra ii. 93 Conjurements, able to have mollified a heart more hardned than the Princesse's. 1668 J. Dryden Sr Martin Mar-all iii. 28 I must mollifie him with money. a1715 Bp. G. Burnet Hist. Own Time (1724) I. 213 Even the Presbyterians were much mollified..by his mild and heavenly course of life. 1724 M. Davys Reform'd Coquet 78 If Prayers and Tears could mollify an unrelenting obdurate Heart, yours had long ago been soften'd into Justice and Pity. 1754 D. Hume Hist. Great Brit. I. v. 271 To mollify, by these indulgences, the rage of his most furious persecutors. 1850 N. Hawthorne Scarlet Let. xix. 255 Pearl, not a whit startled at her mother's threats, any more than mollified by her entreaties, now suddenly burst into a fit of passion. 1872 W. Black Strange Adventures Phaeton xxvii ‘Oh, as you please’, said the young man, a trifle mollified. 1881 A. Trollope Ayala's Angel I. xxii. 270 It was at first suggested that he should..endeavour to mollify the stony heart of Aunt Dosett. 1917 E. Wharton Summer i. 15 He added the last phrase so respectfully that she was mollified. 1956 S. Beckett Waiting for Godot (1959) i. 31 He wants to mollify me, so that I'll give up the idea of parting with him. 1983 W. Byron tr. A. Le Vot F. Scott Fitzgerald xvii. 287 That was indeed her role.., relaying an angry husband's..messages and mollifying him with lies. b. intransitive. To become softened in temper or disposition; to become more kindly or genial; to relax one's severity, become less angry or obdurate; to relent. Now rare. ΘΚΠ the world > action or operation > behaviour > good behaviour > kindness > gentleness or mildness > be mild, gentle, or tolerant [verb (intransitive)] > become melta1225 to-melta1240 mollifya1530 relaxate1598 relax1688 mellow1737 a1530 W. Bonde Pylgrimage of Perfeccyon (1531) f. 246 Shall make the moost harde herted persone that is, to mollyfy & melte. 1531 W. Tyndale Answere Mores Dialoge f. cxxi The herte here begynneth to mollyfye and wax softe. a1586 Sir P. Sidney Arcadia (1593) iv. sig. Nn3 Philinax feeling his hart more & more mollifieng vnto her, renewed [etc.]. 1694 J. Dryden Love Triumphant v. i. 71 She has a delicious Tongue of her own, and I begin to mollifie. 1741 H. Walpole Let. 23 Nov. in Lett. to H. Mann (1823) I. 29 He..owned his father had mollified, but hoped she would excuse him. 1823 Examiner 268/2 The father mollifies and is reconciled to the marriage. 1887 T. Hardy Woodlanders III. i. 14 By this time Melbury's mood had a little mollified. 1988 J. Brady Stone of Heart xv. 182 ‘Nothing as sharp as a good desk-man in a fancy hotel, is there, sir?’ the detective said, mollifying. His efforts did not break the cast of skepticism on Kilmartin's face. †3. transitive. To enervate, enfeeble, weaken. Obsolete. ΘΚΠ the mind > mental capacity > lack of understanding > weakness of intellect > make weak [verb (transitive)] faintc1386 mollify1490 weaken1536 pamper1576 touch1607 unspirit1607 disnervea1618 petrifya1631 dissinew1640 unbrace1711 atrophy1865 unstring1897 1490 W. Caxton tr. Eneydos xii. 42 This man onely hath molyfyed my wyttes, and perturbed the corage of myn opynyon firste. a1500 tr. A. Chartier Quadrilogue (Rawl.) (1974) 240 The wisedom may nat availe but be as a thing voide, for the prowesse is mollified [c1475 Univ. Oxf. the manhode swaged], the constaunce broken, the strenght feblischid. ?1577 J. Northbrooke Spiritus est Vicarius Christi: Treat. Dicing 131 Whose mynde is so well ordered..that these wanton dauncings..woulde not corrupte ouercome, and vtterlye mollifie? 1673 E. Hickeringill Gregory 318 Impressions of fear that mollifie and unman vulgar and narrow spirits. 4. To reduce the severity of. a. transitive. To temper or abate the violence of (an emotion); to lessen the harshness or intensity of (heat, cold, etc.); to improve or ameliorate (a state, condition, etc.); †to relieve (care or distress) (obsolete). ΘΚΠ the world > action or operation > manner of action > lack of violence, severity, or intensity > make less violent or severe [verb (transitive)] temperc1000 keelc1175 slakea1300 abate?c1335 settle1338 swagea1340 modifyc1385 rebatea1398 bate1398 moder1414 releasea1425 remiss?a1425 moderate1435 alethe?1440 delaya1450 appal1470 addulce1477 mollify1496 mean?a1513 relent1535 qualify1536 temperatea1540 aplake1578 slack1589 relaxate1598 milden1603 mitigate1611 relax1612 alleniate1615 allay1628 alloy1634 castigate1653 smoothen1655 tendera1656 mitify1656 meeken1662 remitigate1671 obviscate1684 slacken1685 chastise1704 dulcify1744 absorb1791 demulceate1817 chasten1856 modulate1974 mediate1987 the world > action or operation > manner of action > lack of violence, severity, or intensity > make less violent or severe [verb (transitive)] > weaken (something immaterial) to thin off, downc900 feeblea1340 allayc1450 debilite1483 mollify1496 weak1502 geld?1507 water1529 appale?1530 labefact?1539 debilitate1541 mortify1553 effeeble1571 dilutea1575 soften1576 unsinew1599 melt1600 infringe1604 weaken1609 unbenda1616 dissinew1640 slacken1663 thin1670 resolve1715 imbecilitate1809 imbecile1829 to let down1832 to water down1832 1496 Epit. Iaspar Late Duke of Beddeforde (Pynson) sig. aiii To mollyfy oure monys. 1542 H. Brinkelow Lamentacion sig. Biv Their absence shuld not quentch ner molyfye your loue towarde your poare brethern. 1557 Earl of Surrey et al. Songes & Sonettes sig. U.i For Zepharus doth mollifye the colde and blustering windes. 1577 B. Googe tr. C. Heresbach Foure Bks. Husbandry ii. f. 85 The extreme heate of the sunne, is something mollifyed with the colde blastes of the winde. 1612 M. Drayton Poly-olbion xii. 199 Refresh you in my bathes, and mollifie your care With comfortable wines and meats. 1653 Ld. Vaux tr. A. Godeau Life St. Paul 238 His great courage could not be mollified. 1710 C. Johnson Force of Friendship i. i. 4 When Time shall molifie his rigorous Hate. 1715 tr. G. Panciroli Hist. Memorable Things Lost II. v. 298 Sugar..mollifies the Acrimony, and makes meek the Crabbedness of tart and sour things. 1771 M. S. Montague Orig. Ess. on Woman 31 Form'd with soft Accents Reason to enforce, And mollify the Passions in their Course. a1833 R. Watson in C. H. Spurgeon Treasury of David (1878) V. Ps. cxiii. 7 What sources of comfort does it [sc. Christianity] open to mollify the troubles of life! 1891 G. Gissing New Grub St. II. xxi. 209 In October the sun reappeared and it seemed to mollify the literary man's mood. 1909 A. Bierce Coll. Wks. 289 Your doom I'll mollify and pains abate. 1979 Maclean's 11 June 18/1 For committed indépendantistes the promise of economic association is a necessary evil required to mollify public fears of secession. 1988 J. Seelve in O. Wister Virginian Introd. p. xxx The importance of gardening..to westering women who hoped to mollify..the harsh wilderness environment. b. transitive. To lessen the harshness or severity of (an expression, law, judgment, etc.); to moderate (a demand, requirement). Also: to represent in favourable terms; to express euphemistically. Now rare. ΘΚΠ the world > action or operation > manner of action > lack of violence, severity, or intensity > make less violent or severe [verb (transitive)] > the severity of (something) mollifya1500 mitigate1571 palliate1665 the world > action or operation > manner of action > lack of violence, severity, or intensity > make less violent or severe [verb (transitive)] > specific laws or demands mollifya1500 a1500 tr. A. Chartier Quadrilogue (Rawl.) (1974) 236 Who that cowde shewe me..any amendement of this, thanne shulde the rigour of my wourdis be the more mollified. 1523 Ld. Berners tr. J. Froissart Chron. (1812) I. ccccxxiv. 741 The erle of Flaunders..molefyed the mater as moche as he might. 1549 M. Coverdale et al. tr. Erasmus Paraphr. Newe Test. II. 2 Cor. Argt. f. xliii He mollifieth the sharpenes vsed in his former epistle. 1590 Digest Decisions Justiciary Court in Dict. Older Sc. Tongue M. 12 (at cited word) We being movit of our clemencie to molifie and of our royell authoritie to dispone with the executioun of the dome pronunceit. 1681 J. Dryden Spanish Fryar v. ii. 75 Now mince the Sin, And mollifie Damnation with a Phrase. 1703 Clarendon's Hist. Rebellion II. viii. 439 They would, by yielding to some things, when they refused others, sooner prevail with the Houses to mollifie their demands. 1798 T. Jefferson Let. 1 June in Writings (1903) IX. 48 Our alien bill struggles hard for a passage. It has been considerably mollified. 1880 Expositor 11 469 The Apostle..could easily and euphoniously have modified and mollified his expression. †5. transitive. To impart beauty to; to adorn, embellish. Obsolete. rare. ΚΠ a1763 W. Shenstone Wks. Verse & Prose (1764) I. 308 The vocal flute..Crowns his delight, and mollifies the scene. 6. Mathematics. a. intransitive. To generate a smooth approximation of a function (as by means of a mollifier: see mollifier n. 2). ΚΠ 1965 Amer. Jrnl. Math. 87 271 Q_η and Q_η* are integral mollifiers, mollifying in the y′ directions. 1985 Ann. Probability 13 679 We extend ϕ continuously to a function on all of Rⁿ..and mollify with the smooth kernel G_c(x). 1985 Trans. Amer. Math. Soc. 291 182 If u vanishes near {t = 0} × Ω and {t = T} × Ω, one mollifies in x as before and then in t. b. transitive. To operate on (a function) with a mollifier (mollifier n. 2) in order to generate a smooth approximation of it. ΚΠ 1966 Trans. Amer. Math. Soc. 123 459 Instead of assuming u ∈ C^∞, it suffices to assume that u is locally integrable and is a generalized solution. This is seen by mollifying u and applying our results to the mollified function. 1984 Proc. Amer. Math. Soc. 90 88 By mollifying the original function using a radial approximate identity we can assume that f ∈ C^∞(Bⁿ). 1992 Math. of Computation 58 689 A calculation shows that mollifying x(·) will yield a C^∞ approximation x_ε(·) such that [etc.]. This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, September 2002; most recently modified version published online March 2022). < v.?a1425
随便看	to break the silence to break the slate to break the sound barrier to break the staff of bread to break the stream to break the wicket to break through to break time to break to an extreme to break touch to break up to break up shop to break water or soil to break wedlock to break wind to break with to break, burst, etc in or into shivers to break, crack tryst to break, crush, a fly upon the wheel to break, cut off the entail to break, cut the entail to break, etc into sherds to break, knock etc, or go, to smash to break, snap etc short to break, snap etc short off