a. and sb. Also 7 lenative, lenetive; also corruptly lenety, lenity. [ad. med.L. lēnītīv-us (cf. F. lénitif), f. L. lēnīre to soften, assuage, soothe. In sense 2, taken as if f. LENITY + -IVE.] A. adj.
1. Of medicines and medical appliances: Tending to allay or soften; mitigating, soothing; gently laxative; esp. in lenitive electuary.
1543. Traheron, Vigo’s Chirurg., 100 b/2. Lenitiue clysters & suppositories.
1562. W. Turner, Bathes, 10. Cassia fistula or suche lykewise lenitiue or gentell purger.
1610. Markham, Masterp., I. xcii. 179. This [glister] is lenitiue and a great easer of paine.
1621. Burton, Anat. Mel., II. ii. II. (1651), 237. Where nature is defective, art must supply, by those lenitive electuaries [etc.].
c. 1623. Lodge, Poore Mans Talentt (1881), 43. A Clister lenety made of the decoction of malloweis [etc.].
1642. Fuller, Holy & Prof. St., V. xix. 436. As if she meant to cure a gangren’d arm with a lenitive plaister.
1684. trans. Bonet’s Merc. Compit., III. 52. Lenitive Purgers should be made use of.
1732. Arbuthnot, Rules of Diet, I. 246. Apples are likewise pectoral, cooling, and lenitive.
1822–34. Good’s Study Med. (ed. 4), I. 192. The pulp of Cassia, alone or in the compound of lenitive electuary.
† 2. Of persons, their dispositions, etc.: Displaying leniency, gentle. Obs.
1620. Swetnam Arraign’d (1880), 78. Old Iago is a froward Lord, Honest but lenatiue.
1625. Purchas, Pilgrims, II. 1848. Taking some advantage of the lenative and tractable disposition of the Emperour.
a. 1652. Brome, Love-sick Crt., I. 1. He has been Too long too lenetive.
1655. Fuller, Ch. Hist., X. Ded. Such Writers … use the most lenitive language in expressing distastfull matter.
B. sb.
1. A lenitive medicine or appliance. Also fig.
1563. T. Gale, Enchirid., 14 (Stanf.). Suppositorie, clyster or ientle lenytiue.
1593. Q. Eliz., Boeth., I. pr. vi. 18. I will assay a while therfore with lenitiues, & meane fomentations.
1641. Earl Monm., trans. Biondi’s Civil Warres, IV. 87. The gangren’d sores of their soules were not to be cured by Lenities.
1681. Dryden, Abs. & Achit., 926. But Lenitives fomented the Disease.
c. 1720. W. Gibson, Farrier’s Dispens., V. iii. (1734), 137. It is so gentle a Lenitive, that three times the Quantity they usually give, will hardly move any Horse.
1751. Earl Orrery, Remarks Swift (1752), 74. The gentle lenitives of virtue … might have proved healing ingredients to so deep … a wound.
1788. New Lond. Mag., 429. He demanded a lenitive which would put fire into the wound.
1822. Lamb, Elia, Ser. I. Praise Chimneysw. Nature … caused to grow out of the earth her sassafras for a sweet lenitive.
1860. Motley, Netherl. (1868), II. xv. 240. Festering wounds had more need of corrosives than lenitives.
2. Anything that softens or soothes; a palliative.
1614. A. Jackson (title), Sorrow’s Lenitive.
1640. Howell, Dodona’s Gr. (1645), 72. Soul-solacing Lenitives of the Gospel.
1677. Hale, Contempl., II. 179. He hath under his greatest Misery the Lenitive of Hope.
1715. trans. C’tess D’Aunoy’s Wks., 161. If such an enormous Crime can admit of any Lenitive.
1743. Fielding, Journey, I. xxi. It wants the lenitive which palliates and softens every other calamity.
1781. Mad. D’Arblay, Lett. to Mrs. Thrale, 12 Nov. This consanguineous fondness … I consider … one of the lenitives of life.
1825. R. Hall, Wks. (1833), I. 376. Friendship … the lenitive of our Sorrows and the multiplier of our joys.
1878. Dowden, Stud. Lit., 412. Against the artificial he used the artificial as a lenitive.
1891. Shorthouse, Blanche, Lady F., 205. Mundane prosperity, which is a wonderful lenitive to some natures.
Hence Lenitively adv., Lenitiveness.
a. 1627. Middleton, Anything for Quiet L., I. i. Yet should these waste you but lenatively.
1726. Penn, Life, Wks. I. 37. All Laws are to be considered Strictly and Literally, or more Explanatorily and Lenitively.
1727. Bailey, vol. II., Lenitiveness, softening or assuaging Quality.
