sedate

adjective

/sɪˈdeɪt/

[usually before noun]

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slow, calm and relaxed synonym unhurried
- We followed the youngsters at a more sedate pace.
quiet, especially in a way that lacks excitement
- a sedate country town
- a sedate family occasion
- a sedate, sober man

Word Originadjective late Middle English (originally as a medical term meaning ‘not sore or painful’, also ‘calm, tranquil’): from Latin sedatus, past participle of sedare ‘settle’, from sedere ‘sit’.

sedate

verb

/sɪˈdeɪt/

[often passive]

Verb Forms

present simple I / you / we / they sedate	/sɪˈdeɪt/ /sɪˈdeɪt/
he / she / it sedates	/sɪˈdeɪts/ /sɪˈdeɪts/
past simple sedated	/sɪˈdeɪtɪd/ /sɪˈdeɪtɪd/
past participle sedated	/sɪˈdeɪtɪd/ /sɪˈdeɪtɪd/
-ing form sedating	/sɪˈdeɪtɪŋ/ /sɪˈdeɪtɪŋ/

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sedate somebody/something to give somebody drugs in order to make them calm and/or to make them sleep synonym tranquillize
- Most of the patients are heavily sedated.
- A vet was called to sedate the animal.
Word Originverb 1960s: back-formation from sedation.