| 释义 |
▪ I. soothe, v.|suːð|
Forms: 1 soðian, 3 soðien, 4, 6 sothe, 6 soth, south, 6–9 sooth, 6– soothe.
[OE. sóðian (also ᵹesóðian i-sothe v.), f. sóð sooth a. Cf. ON. (Icel., Norw., Sw.) sanna (Da. sande).]
†1. trans. To prove or show (a fact, statement, etc.) to be true; to verify, demonstrate. Also const. on (a person). Obs.
c950Lindisf. Gosp. Matt., Int. 7 Ðas..fewer godspelles..ðæs witᵹes boc ec soðeð vel fæstnaᵹið. c1205Lay. 8491 Þas weord ich wulle þe treosien,..þat ich hit wulle soðien. a1240Sawles Warde in O.E. Hom. I. 261 Þe prophetes þe.. seoð nu al þat isoðet, þat ha hefden longe ear icwiddet of ure lauerd. c1275Lay. 8315 Ich hit wolle soþi bi mine god treuwe. 1387–8T. Usk Test. Love i. v. (Skeat) l. 110 Looke than..thou persever in my service,..that thilke scorn in thyn enemyes mowe this on thy person be not sothed. 1588N. Trotte Introd. to Hughes' Misfort. Arthur (1900) 111 They hold the grounds which time & vse hath sooth'd (Though shallow sense conceiue them as conceits).
†2.
a. To declare (a statement) to be true; to uphold as the truth; to corroborate, support. Obs.
a1553Udall Royster D. i. ii. (Arb.) 12 Then must I sooth it, what euer it is: For what he sayth or doth can not be amisse, Holde vp his yea and nay [etc.]. 1571Campion Hist. Irel. (1809) 57 Verily, being inquisitive of these matters, I could finde no one of them soothed by such persons upon whose relation I am disposed to venture. 1580Lupton Sivquila 75 For every worde that the riche speaketh is soothed and counted for an Oracle. 1600Wisd. Dr. Dodypoll ii. iii. in Bullen O. Pl. (1884) III. 118 Do thou but soothe What I my selfe will presently devise. 1616J. Lane Contn. Sqr.'s T. ix. 75 Soothinge his cause, that brave thinges ill begunn Standes recompensd, if held out till rewonn.
†b. To maintain or put forward (a lie or untruth) as being true. Obs.
1591Savile Tacitus, Hist. i. xxxv. 20 Galba yielding to an vntruth so generally soothed, puts on a brest-plate. 1596Warner Alb. Eng. xii. lxxi. (1602) 297 Vpon my Tongue shall mine Opinion dye, Though should I say to it..Amen, I sooth'd no Lye. 1610A. Cooke Pope Joan 43, Protestant. Why may it not be true though it be deliuered with vt asseritur? Papist. Why? Because lies are commonly so soothed. 1616J. Lane Contn. Sqr.'s T. vii. 170 For o, but putt this word (truith) in theire mowth, And laughe for aye, to heere what lies they soothe.
†3. To support, or back up, (a person) in a statement or assertion. Obs.
1544St. Papers Hen. VIII, X. 185 Grandvela wold have denyed the French King to have been taken prysoner by meane of Your Majestie, but Monsr de Praet wold not sothe him in it. 1592Kyd Sp. Trag. iii. x. 19 Deale cunningly; Salue all suspitions, onely sooth me vp. 1610Heywood Gold. Age iv. i, If we get entrance sooth me vp in all things. 1623Massinger Dk. Milan v. ii, Sooth me in all I say; There's a main end in it.
†4.
a. To confirm, encourage, or humour (a person) in something by expressing assent or approval.
1568Grafton Chron. II. 395 No man durst..aduise hym in any thing, but must sothe him in whatsoeuer he sayd, or did. 1579Lyly Euphues (Arb.) 149 These be they that sooth young youths in al their sayings, that vphold them in al their doings. 1613–8Daniel Coll. Hist. Eng. (1621) 146 [Princes] are apter to learne to know their greatnesse, then themselues; being euer soothed in all whatsoeuer they doe. 1643Milton Divorce ii. iii. Wks. 1851 IV. 66 If a private friend admonish not,..but if he sooth him, and allow him in his faults [etc.].
refl.1631Gouge God's Arrows iii. §45. 266 Yet are we not hereupon to sooth our selves too much in our weaknesses.
†b. Similarly with up. Obs.
1573G. Harvey Letter-bk. (Camden) 9 If a man feed not there humor, nor sooth them up in there saiings. 1621Burton Anat. Mel. i. ii. iv. ii. 193 They will not let them bee corrected or controled, but still soothed vp in every thing they doe. 1676G. Etherege Man of Mode iii. ii, Do not you fall on him, Medley, and snub him. Sooth him up in his extravagance? 1705Stanhope Paraphr. II. 238 Rendring it an Argument for Presumption to sooth us up in Impenitence and Sloth.
refl.1588J. Udall Diotrephes (Arb.) 21 Wel, sooth vp your selfe in your own perswasion, and brag of the multitude of subscribers. 1600Hooker Serm. ii. 38 Wks. 1888 III. 544, I am not ignorant how ready men are to feed and soothe up themselves in evil. 1622T. Scott Belg. Pismire 11 He hateth to be reformed, and doth sooth up him selfe in folly.
†5.
a. To blandish, cajole, or please (a person) by agreement or assent; to flatter in this way; to humour. Obs.
1573Tusser Husb. (1878) 26 She..sets open the chest, for such as can sooth hir and all away wrest. 1589Puttenham Eng. Poesie iii. xv. (Arb.) 183 The yeoman thinking it good manner to soothe his Sergeant, said [etc.]. 1613Purchas Pilgrimage (1614) 598 The Cyrenæans to sooth this proud King, which would needs be taken for the sonne of Ammon, stamped his shape in their coynes, with two hornes of a Ram. a1649Drummond of Hawthornden Fam. Ep. Wks. (1711) 152, I can neither love nor sooth any other, be they never so powerful. 1680Otway Orphan ii. i, The grave dull fellow of small business sooths The Humorist and will needs admire his Wit.
absol.1583Babington Commandm. (1590) 427 We must smooth it, & sooth it, & carrie two faces vnder one hoode. 1796Lauderdale Poems 84 Now-a-days ane canna' phraise, An' sooth, an' lie, an' sweeten.
†b. Similarly with up. Obs.
1616Pasquil & Kath. v. 80, I thought he was mad in putting me To such an enterprise; and therefore sooth'd him vp With I sir, yes sir, and so sir, at each word. 1652Gaule Magastrom. 22 O ye Hypocrites! that..flatter and sooth up others to a doating presumption [etc.]. 1729G. Adams tr. Sophocl., Antig. v. ii. II. 67 Why should I sooth you up with those Tales, wherein at least I shall appear a Liar. a1734North Lives (1826) I. 178 The game lay by soothing up the King, and pushing him on in designs of advancing his prerogative. 1814Nicholson Poet. Wks. (1897) 57 A wily, spruce, and nipping blade, Wha..soothed the lasses up wi' baubles.
refl.1613Day Dyall iv. (1613) 74 Least upon the hearing thus of sins forgiven, the wicked should soothe up themselves. 1621Burton Anat. Mel. i. ii. ii. vi, They may..sooth vp themselues with phantasticall humors.
†c. Followed by that and clause. Obs.
1593Nashe Christ's T. 14 b, Hee sootheth him vp, that if God would not haue had him sinne, hee woulde neuer haue giuen him..the meanes to sinne with. 1613Day Dyall viii. (1614) 169 Let no man sooth up himselfe that he hath a pure and immaculate heart. 1643Milton Divorce Wks. 1851 IV. 19 Yet I may erre perhaps in soothing my selfe that this present truth [etc.]. a1661Fuller Worthies (1840) II. 359 When soothed up by the servants, ‘that not John but some other of his brothers did cry’.
†d. With impersonal object. Obs.
1592Shakes. Ven. & Ad. 850 Like shrill-tongued tapsters answering every call, Soothing the humour of fantastic wits. a1656Bp. Hall Rem. Wks. (1660) 150 [There are] those that humour, and sooth up corrupt nature. 1669Sturmy Mariner's Mag. C iij, [He] commendeth even those things..which in his heart he doth detest, to the end that he may sooth up the Humour of the Party.
†6.
a. To smooth or gloss over (an offence, etc.); to render less objectionable or offensive. Obs.
1587Golding De Mornay i. 11 Some..haue striued to perswade themselues by soothing their owne sinnes, that they haue no Soule at all. 1593Shakes. 3 Hen. VI, iii. iii. 175 What? has your King married the Lady Grey? And now to sooth your Forgery, and his, Sends me a Paper to perswade me Patience? 1606Chapman Gent. Usher v. iv. 66 His grosse dotage rather loath'd then sooth'd. c1645Howell Lett. I. v. xi, I am of the number of those that had rather commend the Virtue of an Enemy, than sooth the Vices of a Friend.
Comb.a1618Sylvester Paradox agst. Libertie 1110 Wks. (Grosart) II. 65 False sooth-sin flatteries, and idle Fairy dreames.
†b. Similarly with up. Obs.
1592Greene Def. Conny Catching Wks. (Grosart) XI. 81 Who..to aduaunce his yonger brother..was content to lie, cog, and flatter, and to take any seruile paines, to sooth vp the matter. 1603Florio Montaigne iii. vii. (1894) 469 We authorize their defects and sooth-up their vices. a1641Bp. R. Montagu Acts & Mon. (1642) 519 Can wee religiously think the holy Ghost would doe anything to sooth up or countenance a popular error.
7. a. To render (an animal, a person, the feelings) calm or quiet; to restore to a normally peaceful or tranquil condition; to mollify or appease.
1697Dryden Virg. Georg. iii. 293 If to the Warlike Steed thy Studies bend,..Sooth him with Praise, and make him understand The loud Applauses of his Master's Hand. 1717Pope Iliad ix. 249 With this he sooths his angry Soul. 1777Watson Philip II xvii. (1839) 351 He may humble himself so far as to soothe us with the hopes of a more mild administration. 1814Jane Austen Mansf. Park (1851) 86 Was he only trying to soothe and pacify her, to make her overlook the previous affront? a1859Macaulay Hist. Eng. xxiii. V. 22 It was particularly important to soothe Wharton, who had been exasperated [etc.]. 1864Bryce Holy Rom. Emp. iii. (1875) 14 Ariovistus had been soothed by the title of Friend of the Roman People.
transf.1710T. Fuller Pharm. Extemp. 146 It [sc. the emulsion] sooths up and composeth to quiet, the mad, raging Spirits. 1822Shelley Fragm. Unf. Drama 106 Calming me as the loveliness of heaven Soothes the unquiet sea.
b. Const. to. Also, to induce to do something.
1746Francis tr. Horace, Sat. i. i. 27 As Masters fondly sooth their Boys to read With Cakes and Sweetmeats. 1823Scott Quentin D. x, When I walk boldly up to a surly mastiff, and caress him, it is ten to one I soothe him to good temper.
c. With direct speech as object: to say in a soothing manner.
1934N. Marsh Man lay Dead xii. 206 ‘You shall have every opportunity,’ soothed Alleyn. 1976I. Levin Boys from Brazil iii. 77 ‘I agree, Josef, I agree,’ the colonel soothed.
8. a. To bring to a calm or composed condition; to affect in a tranquillizing and agreeable manner.
1742Gray Eton 18 My weary soul they seem to sooth. 1774Goldsm. Nat. Hist. (1776) V. 26 The male sits near his mate upon some tree, and sooths her by his singing. 1818Keats Endym. i. 783 Fold A rose leaf round thy finger's taperness, And soothe thy lips. 1869Browning Ring & Bk. x. 1645 A cloud may soothe the eye made blind by blaze. 1891E. Peacock N. Brendon I. 255 Poetry of a certain kind soothed him.
transf.1780Cowper Progr. Err. 66 Sweet harmony, that sooths the midnight hour!
b. Const. to (a certain state).
1819Byron Juan ii. cxiii, The soft warm hand of youth..bathing his chill temples, tried to soothe Each pulse to animation. 1870E. Peacock Ralf Skirl. III. 82 This monotony soothed her to sleep.
9. a. To reduce the force or intensity of (a passion, pain, etc.); to render less painful or violent; to allay, assuage, mitigate, etc.
1711Addison Spect. No. 170 ⁋7 An intimate Friend that will..condole their Sufferings, and endeavour to sooth and asswage their secret Resentments. 1742Young Nt. Th. ix. 16 Song soothes our pains; and age has pains to soothe. 1786Burns Vision ii. xvi, Th' adored Name, I taught thee how to pour in song, To soothe thy flame. 1807–8W. Irving Salmag. (1824) 334 As if anxious to sooth the last moments of his master. 1868J. H. Blunt Ref. Ch. Eng. I. 402 Soothing agitation or putting an end to discord. 1880L. Stephen Pope iv. 92 He was constantly wanting coffee, which seems to have soothed his headaches.
b. To drive away, to dispel, by soothing.
1746Francis tr. Horace, Epist. i. ii. 46 Who..with melting Airs Of empty Music sooth away our Cares. 1853Mrs. Gaskell Ruth (1855) 208 The deep sense of penitence..he mistook for earthly shame, which he imagined he could soon soothe away.
c. To soften, tone down, render less harsh or prominent.
1860Hawthorne Marb. Faun xvi, Artificial fantasies, which the calm moonlight soothed into better taste than was native to them.
10. absol. To have or exercise a soothing or tranquillizing influence.
1728Young Love Fame vi. 194 Ladies supreme among amusements reign; By nature born to sooth, and entertain. 1797Jane Austen Sense & Sens. (1849) 260 Elinor, impatient to soothe, though too honest to flatter. 1809Byron To Florence xi, 'Twill soothe to be where thou hast been. 1850Tennyson In Mem. lvi, O for thy voice to soothe and bless! 1871Garrod Mat. Med. (ed. 3) 171 The decoction..is employed as an external application to allay pain and soothe.
Hence soothed |suːðd| ppl. a.
1599B. Jonson Cynthia's Rev. v. vi, Like an envious wretch, That glitters onely to his soothed selfe. 16..The Distracted Emperor in Bullen O.P. III. 184 What will not soothed prynces? 1820Keats St. Agnes xxvii, The poppied warmth of sleep oppress'd Her soothed limbs. 1839–52Bailey Festus 379 A rainbow of sweet sounds, Just spanning the soothed sense. 1845Disraeli Sybil (1863) 241 A warmth which expressed her sense of his kindness and her own soothed feelings.
▪ II. soothe, n. rare.|suːð|
[Back-formation f. the vb.]
A soothing feeling or effect.
1947Landfall (N.Z.) I. iv. 267 They felt the soothe of the darkness. 1971J. Gardner Every Night's a Bullfight vii. 170 Close whispering, kissing; the soothe of flesh against flesh. |
