v. [f. L. conciliāt-, ppl. stem of conciliāre to combine, unite physically or in thought or feeling, to make friendly or agreeable, to recommend, to cause to meet, to procure, acquire, produce; f. concilium convocation, COUNCIL. (The senses having been already developed in L. appear somewhat disjointedly in Eng.)]
† 1. trans. To procure, acquire, gain, get, as an accession or addition. Obs.
1548. Ld. Somerset, Epist. Scots, A ij b. To still conciliate and heape to your self mooste extreme mischiefes.
1709. Blair, in Phil. Trans., XXVII. 132. An admirable contrivance for adding Strength and conciliating length to this Muscle.
1794. G. Adams, Nat. & Exp. Philos., III. xxiv. 21. Atoms … can neither conciliate motion to themselves, nor continue in motion longer than they are impelled.
2. To gain (goodwill, esteem, etc.) by acts which soothe, pacify, or induce friendly feeling. (cf. 6.)
1545. Joye, Exp. Dan., xi. (R.). Some kinges gaue their daughters to forein kinges in maryage to conciliate amitie.
1637–50. Row, Hist. Kirk (1842), 47. Noblemen and Barons … frequent the Assemblie to conciliat the more reuerence and autoritie.
1751. Johnson, Rambler, No. 180, ¶ 7. The art of conciliating or retaining the favour of mankind.
1848. Macaulay, Hist. Eng., I. 445. His neglect of the arts which conciliate popularity.
1876. Grote, Eth. Fragm., 71. The necessity of conciliating a certain measure of esteem.
b. of things.
1646. Sir T. Browne, Pseud. Ep., 352. A philtre, or plant that conciliates affection.
1656. H. More, Enthus. Tri. (1712), 8. Using … Vnguentum populeum to anoint his Temples to conciliate sleep.
1751. Johnson, Rambler, No. 166, ¶ 3. Reasons why poverty does not easily conciliate affection.
c. Const. to, for.
1662. More, Philos. Writ., Pref. Gen. (1712), 4. Which cannot but conciliate much honour and reverence to the Priesthood.
1751. Johnson, Rambler, No. 127, ¶ 1. To conciliate indulgence to … his performances.
1886. Morley, Mill, Crit. Misc. III. 42. The difficult art of conciliating as much support as was possible, for … unpopular opinions.
† 3. To make acceptable, recommend. (In quot. refl.) Obs.
1615. Chapman, Odyss., VIII. 541. Euryalus shall here conciliate Himself with words and gifts.
4. To reconcile, make accordant or compatible.
1573. Abp. Parker, Corr. (1853), 439. I and Dr. May did conciliate the old statutes and reformed them in King Edward’s day.
1624. Gee, Foot out of Snare, 85. How this ingenuous Iesuite did conciliate such contrary sayings.
a. 1656. Hales, Gold. Rem., III. (1673), 46. To conciliate you the more to God and your reason.
1776–88. Gibbon, Decl. & F., xxii. (Seager). Conciliating the qualities of a soldier with those of a philosopher.
1816. W. Taylor, in Monthly Mag., XLI. 502. One method of conciliating the proofs of the execution, with the proofs of the appearance afterwards.
1869. Phipson, trans. Guillemin’s The Sun (1870), 233. The attempts which have been made to conciliate the two theories.
† 5. intr. To come to a position of friendliness; to make friends with. Obs.
1748. Richardson, Clarissa (1811), I. 26. I owed him no compliments for trying to conciliate with him.
1769. Junius Lett., i. 6. He was called upon to conciliate and unite.
1775. Burke, Corr. (1844), II. 69. There will then appear a remnant left in Great Britain, with whom America may conciliate.
6. trans. To gain over in feeling; to overcome the distrust or hostility of, by soothing and pacifying means; to induce friendly and kindly feelings in; to soothe, placate, pacify. Also absol.
1782. Priestley, Corrupt. Chr., I. I. 47. Willing to conciliate the one, and yet not to offend the other.
1794. S. Williams, Vermont, 184. Nature reconciles and conciliates the mind.
1828. D’Israeli, Chas. I., I. iv. 83. The … Catholic party … would be conciliated by an English Catholic Queen.
1850. Prescott, Peru, II. 295. Attempts to conciliate some of the opposite faction by acts of liberality.
1863. Geo. Eliot, Romola, I. vi. He would never stoop to conciliate: he could never forget an injury.
b. To make things) amicable and agreeable; to disarm (objections).
1802. Mar. Edgeworth, Moral T. (1816), I. xx. 187. We must make allowances, and conciliate matters.
1884. Manch. Exam., 11 June, 4/7. They have done all they can to conciliate objections.
7. [Mixture of 2 c and 6.] To win over from a position of distrust or hostility to (one’s side).
1796. Morse, Amer. Geog., II. 382. Thus conciliating the army to their side.
1803. Edmonstone, in Owen, Wellesley’s Disp., 320. Every endeavour should be made to conciliate that chief to the interests of the British Government.
