soothingn.
/ˈsuːðɪŋ/ a. The action of the verb, in various senses.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > attention and judgement > testing > proof, demonstration > [noun] > act of proving, verification
verifyinga1325
soothinga1400
averment1429
verefiancea1450
verment1472
justificationa1500
verification1523
demonstrating1598
evidencing1609
averral1611
averring1642
evincement1651
validation1656
substantiation1787
cross check1839
constatationa1916
the mind > attention and judgement > esteem > approval or sanction > commendation or praise > flattery or flattering > [noun]
fickling?c1225
flattering?c1225
oluhningc1225
glozec1290
glozing1297
losengery1303
blandishingc1305
blandingc1315
flatteryc1320
glotheringc1325
soothinga1400
honey word?1406
faginga1425
flatrisec1440
smekingc1440
blandishc1475
blandiment?1510
glavering1545
coggingc1555
good1563
milksop1577
court holy water1583
glavery1583
blandishment1591
lipsalve1591
court holy bread1592
flatter1593
colloguing1596
sooth1597
daub?1602
blandation1605
lullaby1611
court-water1616
butter1618
blandiloquy1623
oil1645
court-element1649
courtshipment1649
courtship1655
blandiloquence1656
court-creama1657
daubing1656
fleecha1700
Spanish money1699
cajole1719
whiting1721
palaver1733
butter boat1747
flummery1749
treacle1771
Spanish coin1785
blancmange1790
blarney1796
soft corn1814
whillywha1816
carney1818
buttering up1819
soft soap1821
flam1825
slaver1825
soft solder1836
soothing syrup1839
soft-soaping1840
plámás1853
sawder1854
soap1854
salve1859
taffy1878
plámásing1897
flannel1927
smarm1937
flannelling1945
sweet talk1945
schmear1950
smarming1950
the mind > emotion > calmness > [noun] > action of calming
lullingc1394
quietation?1504
mellowing1528
cooling1588
collection1602
sedation1616
becalming1625
calming1699
soothings1745
tranquillizing1801
soothing1813
the world > action or operation > manner of action > lack of violence, severity, or intensity > [noun] > mitigation or alleviation
allegeancec1325
swaging1340
legeancec1390
mitigationa1400
swagea1400
allegementa1425
alleging?a1425
alleviation?a1425
lighteningc1425
queeming1440
allevation1502
soberinga1510
extenuation1542
assuagement1561
releasement1569
assuaging1580
assuage1596
mitification1607
allayment1609
palliation1813
soothing1847
a1400 Minor Poems from Vernon MS xlix. 185 For ȝif þou woldest hit putte to soþing Þat he seyde ouur niȝt vppon þe morwening.
c1540 (?a1400) Destr. Troy 11495 Thus sotelly with sothyn he set hom a cas, What fortune might falle.
a1592 R. Greene Sc. Hist. Iames IV (1598) ii. sig. E2v Whilst cloking craft with soothing climbes so high.
1607 S. Hieron Remedie for Securitie in Wks. (1620) I. 430 Secret soothing and flattering of the heart.
1651 T. Hobbes Leviathan ii. xxx. 184 The soothing of the people in their unreasonable, or irremediable grievances.
1702 N. Rowe Tamerlane i. i Away, Deceiver; I will not hear thy Soothing.
1813 W. Scott Rokeby iv. 167 'Twas long ere soothing might prevail Upon the child to end the tale.
1847 A. Helps Friends in Council I. i. iii. 40 This [trouble] appears..unworthy of having any remedy, or soothing, thought out for it.
b. plural. (In first quot. 1582 = soothsayings.)
ΘΚΠ
the mind > mental capacity > expectation > foresight, foreknowledge > prediction, foretelling > soothsaying > [noun] > predictions made by
soothsaying1535
soothings1582
soothsay1582
the mind > emotion > calmness > [noun] > action of calming
lullingc1394
quietation?1504
mellowing1528
cooling1588
collection1602
sedation1616
becalming1625
calming1699
soothings1745
tranquillizing1801
soothing1813
1582 R. Stanyhurst tr. Virgil First Foure Bookes Æneis iii. 52 Gods, quod he, this messadge turne you to a prosperus omen. Cancel theese menacing soothings, thee godlye reseruing.
1601 A. Dent Plaine Mans Path-way to Heauen 408 Whether it be more meete that I should beleeue the scriptures, or your soothings, iudge you.
1745 W. Thompson Sickness v. 135 Ideal sounds Soft-wafted on the Zephyr's fancy'd wing, Steal tuneful soothings on the easy ear.
1797 A. Radcliffe Italian III. iv. 115 The soothings of sympathy and the delicate arts of benevolence.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1913; most recently modified version published online December 2021).
soothingadj.
/ˈsuːðɪŋ/ΘΚΠ
the mind > attention and judgement > esteem > approval or sanction > commendation or praise > flattery or flattering > [adjective]
ficklinga1240
glozing1297
blandingc1315
blandishingc1374
glaveringc1394
fleering?a1400
sleekedc1400
faginga1425
smoothc1450
flattering1484
cogging1542
flatterous1546
butterya1585
smooth-tongueda1593
oily1598
silken1598
slick-tongued1598
soothing1599
sleek1601
slick1606
blandiloquous1615
supellectile1615
colloguing1620
losengeous1632
oiled-tongued1632
daubing1655
blandiloquious1689
smooth-booted1706
palavering1764
pill-gilding1764
oily-tongued1788
buttering1789
sleeky1810
smooth-spoken1821
oleaginous1833
butteraceous1837
saponaceous1837
soft-soapy1849
soapy1854
blarneying1884
smarmy1924
sweet-talking1956
smoothie1959
smarming1970
blandiloquent-
1599 W. Shakespeare in W. Shakespeare et al. Passionate Pilgrime (new ed.) sig. A3 O, Loues best habite is a soothing toung.
1603 S. Daniel Epist. to Lady Anne Clifford 76 The tongues of praise, And troopes of soothing people, that collaud All that we doe.
1644 J. Milton tr. M. Bucer Ivdgem. conc. Divorce 23 Under a false and soothing title of mariage.
1671 J. Milton Paradise Regain'd iii. 6 At length collecting all his Serpent wiles, [he] With soothing words renew'd, him thus accosts. View more context for this quotation
2.
a. That soothes, calms, quietens, etc.; pacifying, mollifying.
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > inaction > quietness or tranquillity > [adjective] > making quiet or tranquil
lullingc1440
stillinga1635
soothing1746
calminga1853
soothful1886
the mind > emotion > pleasure > state of being consoled or relieved > [adjective] > giving consolation or relief
comfortable1377
comforting1382
easefulc1425
solaciousc1450
unctious1477
consolativea1492
consolatorya1500
comfortful1552
recomfortable1581
cordial1584
relieving1597
comfortizing1600
balmya1616
lenifying1617
consolating?1650
easinga1665
balsamic1667
relief-ful1699
consolinga1704
assuasive1713
solacing1721
soothing1746
consolate1748
reassuring1753
alleviative1770
cheering1796
assuaging1801
sooth1819
paramuthetic1854
soothful1886
1746 P. Francis tr. Horace in P. Francis & W. Dunkin tr. Horace Epistles i. i. 49 The Power of Words, and soothing Sounds appease The raging Pain.
1766 J. Fordyce Serm. Young Women II. xii. 289 From an agreeable young woman..it is incredibly soothing.
1801 R. Southey Thalaba II. vi. ix. 11 Lulled by the soothing and incessant sound, The flow of many waters.
1849 T. B. Macaulay Hist. Eng. I. i. 92 Had the King been wise, he would have pursued a cautious and soothing policy towards Scotland.
1872 W. Black Strange Adventures Phaeton xii. 160 The soothing influences of dinner had departed.
b. Of medical applications, drugs, etc.; spec. soothing powder (in quot. figurative); soothing syrup, a medicinal preparation supposed to calm fretful children; frequently figurative, flattery; empty reassurance; merely palliative remedies; mawkish or sentimental music, emotion, etc.; hence soothing-syrupy adj.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > emotion > aspects of emotion > sentimentality > [noun]
sentiment1747
sentimentality1770
mawkishness1796
sensiblerie1815
sentimentalism1818
sloppiness1828
morbidezza1833
milk-and-wateriness1834
maudlin1838
soothing syrup1839
emotionalism1846
stickiness1864
slop1866
mushiness1868
saccharinity1868
sympatheticism1884
hearts and flowers1911
lovey-doveyness1923
schmaltz1934
goop1950
goo1951
schmaltziness1953
gloop1957
cheesiness1963
soupiness1963
soft-centredness1967
soppiness1974
the mind > attention and judgement > esteem > approval or sanction > commendation or praise > flattery or flattering > [noun]
fickling?c1225
flattering?c1225
oluhningc1225
glozec1290
glozing1297
losengery1303
blandishingc1305
blandingc1315
flatteryc1320
glotheringc1325
soothinga1400
honey word?1406
faginga1425
flatrisec1440
smekingc1440
blandishc1475
blandiment?1510
glavering1545
coggingc1555
good1563
milksop1577
court holy water1583
glavery1583
blandishment1591
lipsalve1591
court holy bread1592
flatter1593
colloguing1596
sooth1597
daub?1602
blandation1605
lullaby1611
court-water1616
butter1618
blandiloquy1623
oil1645
court-element1649
courtshipment1649
courtship1655
blandiloquence1656
court-creama1657
daubing1656
fleecha1700
Spanish money1699
cajole1719
whiting1721
palaver1733
butter boat1747
flummery1749
treacle1771
Spanish coin1785
blancmange1790
blarney1796
soft corn1814
whillywha1816
carney1818
buttering up1819
soft soap1821
flam1825
slaver1825
soft solder1836
soothing syrup1839
soft-soaping1840
plámás1853
sawder1854
soap1854
salve1859
taffy1878
plámásing1897
flannel1927
smarm1937
flannelling1945
sweet talk1945
schmear1950
smarming1950
the world > health and disease > healing > medicines or physic > medicines for specific purpose > sedatives, antispasmodics, etc. > [noun] > sedative > for children
soothing syrup1839
mother's blessing1862
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
the mind > emotion > pleasure > state of being consoled or relieved > [noun] > act, means, or source of consolation or relief > empty comfort
soothing syrup1901
the mind > attention and judgement > esteem > approval or sanction > commendation or praise > flattery or flattering > [adjective] > of words or manners
fairOE
honeyed1435
glozed1509
fair-tongued1541
fine1568
smoothed1568
smoothinga1592
sugary1591
slicked1594
rose water1598
rose-watered1599
candied1604
soft1609
courtlya1616
smooth-faced1626
oileda1640
blandished1671
sugar1687
fair-spoken1704
smooth-tongued1761
silky1778
pill-gilded1822
blarneyfied1830
greasy1848
blarneyed1861
soothering1866
soothing-syrupy1902
1839 Spirit of Times 27 Apr. 87/2 Then comes an ague from Canady, vich can't be cured by American Soothing Syrup nor Durham Mustard.
1861 N.Y. Tribune 26 Dec. 2/5 Don't fail to procure Mrs. Winslow's Soothing Syrup for children teething.
1896 T. C. Allbutt et al. Syst. Med. I. 422 Infants who are being drugged by unscrupulous nurses with ‘soothing syrups’ or other opiates.
1899 T. C. Allbutt et al. Syst. Med. VIII. 597 The affection..disappears in a few weeks under an iron tonic and a soothing application.
1901 W. Churchill Crisis ii. ix. 193 Senator Bell was their candidate, and they proposed to give the Nation soothing-syrup.
1901 W. Churchill Crisis ii. xiv. 246 When the worst comes, the Soothing Syrup men will rally for the Union.
1902 G. H. Lorimer Lett. Merchant xviii. 261 A lady..in a soothing-sirupy way asked if I would lend it to her.
1914 G. B. Shaw Translations & Tomfooleries (1926) 243 I really cannot earn two hundred and fifty guineas by playing soothing syrup to you.
1917 R. Fry Let. 20 July (1972) II. 415 My first soothing powder..was to have been a preface but got printed separately.
1926 E. Glyn Love's Blindness xvi. 183 If he dispelled..all alarm in Vanessa's imagination, it might possibly be only temporary soothing syrup.
1928 E. O'Neill Strange Interlude viii. 305 Here are passion and hatred and regret and joy and pain and ecstasy, and these are men and women..whose blood is blood and not soothing syrup!
1945 Richmond (Va.) Times-Dispatch 26 Oct. 5/1 The race between Russia and the United States to obtain strategic bases is fooling no one but the American people—who are still being doped with soothing syrup that differences between ourselves and Russia are those of language and inexperience in foreign affairs.
1963 Times 21 Jan. 9/2 Mr. Macmillan and his colleagues must put away the soothing syrup that nothing is really as bad as it seems, that even if all is not quite for the best it automatically will be in the end.
1978 O. White Silent Reach xxvi. 268 That's a personal assurance, not official soothing syrup.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1913; most recently modified version published online December 2021).
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n.a1400
adj.1599