Soothe

v. Forms: 1 soðian, 3 soðien, 4, 6 sothe, 6 soth, south, 6–9 sooth, 6– soothe. [OE. sóðian (also ʓesóðian 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.

c. 950.  Lindisf. Gosp., Matt., Int. 7. Ðas … fewer godspelles … ðæs witʓes boc ec soðeð vel fæstnaʓið.

c. 1205.  Lay., 8491. Þas weord ich wulle þe treosien,… þat ich hit wulle soðien.

a. 1240.  Sawles Warde, in O. E. Hom., I. 261. Þe prophetes þe … seoð nu al þat isoðet, þat ha hefden longe ear icwiddet of ure lauerd.

c. 1275.  Lay., 8315. Ich hit wolle soþi bi mine god treuwe.

1387–8.  T. 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.

1588.  N. 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.  To declare (a statement) to be true; to uphold as the truth; to corroborate, support. Obs.

a. 1553.  Udall, 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.].

1571.  Campion, 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.

1580.  Lupton, Sivqila, 75. For euery worde that the riche speaketh is soothed and counted for an Oracle.

1600.  Wisd. Dr. Dodypoll, II. iii. in Bullen, O. Pl. (1884), III. 118. Do thou but soothe What I my selfe will presently devise.

1616.  J. 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.

1591.  Savile, Tacitus, Hist., I. xxxv. 20. Galba yeelding to an vntruth so generally soothed, puts on a brestplate.

1596.  Warner, 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.

1610.  A. 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.

1616.  J. 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.

1544.  St. Papers Hen. VIII., X. 185. Grandvela wold have denyed the French King to have been taken prysoner by meane of Your Majestie, but Mons^r de Praet wold not sothe him in it.

1592.  Kyd, Sp. Trag., III. x. 19. Deale cunningly; Salue all suspitions, onely sooth me vp.

1611.  Heywood, Gold. Age, IV. i. H ij b. If we get entrance, sooth me vp in all things.

1623.  Massinger, Dk. Milan, V. ii. M ij. Sooth me in all I say There is a maine end in ’t.

  † 4.  To confirm, encourage or humor (a person) in something by expressing assent or approval.

1568.  Grafton, Chron., II. 395. No man durst … aduise hym in any thing, but must sothe him in whatsoeuer he sayd, or did.

1579.  Lyly, Euphues (Arb.), 149. These be they that sooth young youths in al their sayings, that vphold them in al their doings.

1613–8.  Daniel, Coll. Hist. Eng. (1621), 146. [Princes] are apter to learne to know their greatnesse, then themselues; being euer soothed in all whatsoeuer they doe.

1643.  Milton, 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.  1631.  Gouge, 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.

1573.  G. Harvey, Letter-bk. (Camden), 9. If a man feed not there humor, nor sooth them up in there saiings.

1621.  Burton, 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.

1676.  Etheredge, Man of Mode, III. ii. Do not you fall on him, Medley, and snub him. Sooth him up in his extravagance?

1705.  Stanhope, Paraphr., II. 238. Rendring it an Argument for Presumption to sooth us up in Impenitence and Sloth.

  refl.  1588.  J. Udall, Diotrephes (Arb.), 21. Wel, sooth vp your selfe in your own perswasion, and brag of the multitude of subscribers.

1600.  Hooker, Serm., ii. 38, Wks. 1888, III. 544. I am not ignorant how ready men are to feed and soothe up themselves in evil.

1622.  T. Scott, Belg. Pismire, 11. He hateth to be reformed, and doth sooth up him selfe in folly.

  5.  To blandish, cajole or please (a person) by agreement or assent; to flatter in this way; to humor. Obs.

1573.  Tusser, Husb. (1878), 26. She … sets open the chest, for such as can sooth hir and all away wrest.

1589.  Puttenham, Eng. Poesie, III. xv. (Arb.), 183. The yeoman thinking it good manner to soothe his Sergeant, said [etc.].

1613.  Purchas, 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.

a. 1649.  Drumm. of Hawth., Fam. Ep., Wks. (1711), 152. I can neither love nor sooth any other, be they never so powerful.

1680.  Otway, Orphan, II. i. The grave dull fellow of small business sooths The Humorist and will needs admire his Wit.

  absol.  1583.  Babington, Commandm. (1590), 427. We must smooth it, & sooth it, & carrie two faces vnder one hoode.

1796.  Lauderdale, Poems, 84. Now-a-days ane canna’ phraise, An’ sooth, an’ lie, an’ sweeten.

  † b.  Similarly with up. Obs.

1616.  Pasquil & 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.

1652.  Gaule, Magastrom., 22. O ye Hypocrites! that … flatter and sooth up others to a doating presumption [etc.].

1729.  G. Adams, trans. Sophocl., Antig., V. ii. II. 67. Why should I sooth you up with those Tales, wherein at least I shall appear a Liar.

a. 1734.  North, Lives (1826), I. 178. The game lay by soothing up the King, and pushing him on in designs of advancing his prerogative.

1814.  Nicholson, Poet. Wks. (1897), 57. A wily, spruce, and nipping blade, Wha … soothed the lasses up wi’ baubles.

  refl.  1613.  Day, Dyall, iv. (1613), 74. Least upon the hearing thus of sins forgiven, the wicked should soothe up themselves.

1621.  Burton, Anat. Mel., I. ii. II. vi. They may … sooth vp themselues with phantasticall humors.

  † c.  Followed by that and clause. Obs.

1593.  Nashe, 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.

1613.  Day, Dyall, viii. (1614), 169. Let no man sooth up himselfe that he hath a pure and immaculate heart.

1643.  Milton, Divorce, Wks. 1851, IV. 19. Yet I may erre perhaps in soothing my selfe that this present truth [etc.].

a. 1661.  Fuller, 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.

1592.  Shaks., Ven. & Ad., 850. Like shrill-tongued tapsters answering every call, Soothing the humour of fantastic wits.

a. 1656.  Bp. Hall, Rem. Wks. (1660), 150. [There are] those that humour, and sooth up corrupt nature.

1669.  Sturmy, 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.  To smooth or gloss over (an offence, etc.); to render less objectionable or offensive. Obs.

1589.  Golding, De Mornay, i. 11. Some … haue striued to perswade themselues by soothing their owne sinnes, that they haue no Soule at all.

1593.  Shaks., 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?

1606.  Chapman, Gentl. Usher, V. iv. 66. His grosse dotage rather loath’d then sooth’d.

c. 1645.  Howell, 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.  a. 1618.  Sylvester, Paradox agst. Libertie, 1110, Wks. (Grosart), II. 65. False sooth-sin flatteries, and idle Fairy dreames.

  † b.  Similarly with up. Obs.

1592.  Greene, 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.

1603.  Florio, Montaigne, III. vii. (1894), 469. We authorize their defects and sooth-up their vices.

a. 1641.  Bp. Mountagu, Acts & Mon. (1642), 519. Can wee religiously think the holy Ghost would doe any thing to sooth up or countenance a popular error.

  7.  To render (an animal, a person, the feelings) calm or quiet; to restore to a normally peaceful or tranquil condition; to mollify or appease.

1697.  Dryden, Virg. Georg., III. 293/105. If to the Warlike Steed thy Studies bend,… Sooth him with Praise, and make him understand The loud Applauses of his Master’s Hand.

1717.  Pope, Iliad, IX. 249. With this he sooths his angry Soul.

1777.  Watson, Philip II., XVII. (1839), 351. He may humble himself so far as to soothe us with the hopes of a more mild administration.

1814.  Jane Austen, Mansf. Park (1851), 86. Was he only trying to soothe and pacify her, to make her overlook the previous affront?

a. 1859.  Macaulay, Hist. Eng., xxiii. V. 22. It was particularly important to soothe Wharton, who had been exasperated [etc.].

1864.  Bryce, Holy Rom. Emp., iii. (1875), 14. Ariovistus had been soothed by the title of Friend of the Roman People.

  transf.  1710.  T. Fuller, Pharm. Extemp., 146. It [sc. the emulsion] sooths up and composeth to quiet, the mad, raging Spirits.

1822.  Shelley, Fragm. Unf. Drama, 106. Calming me as the loveliness of heaven Soothes the unquiet sea.

  b.  Const. to. Also, to induce to do something.

1746.  Francis, trans. Horace, Sat., I. i. 27. III. 7. As Masters fondly sooth their Boys to read With Cakes and Sweetmeats.

1823.  Scott, 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.

  8.  To bring to a calm or composed condition; to affect in a tranquilizing and agreeable manner.

1742.  Gray, Eton, 18. My weary soul they seem to sooth.

1774.  Goldsm., Nat. Hist. (1776), V. 26. The male sits near his mate upon some tree, and sooths her by his singing.

1818.  Keats, Endym., I. 783. Fold A rose leaf round thy finger’s taperness, And soothe thy lips.

1869.  Browning, Ring & Bk., X. 1645. A cloud may soothe the eye made blind by blaze.

1891.  E. Peacock, N. Brendon, I. 255. Poetry of a certain kind soothed him.

  transf.  1780.  Cowper, Progr. Err., 66. Sweet harmony, that sooths the midnight hour!

  b.  Const. to (a certain state).

1819.  Byron, Juan, II. cxiii. The soft warm hand of youth … bathing his chill temples, tried to soothe Each pulse to animation.

1870.  E. Peacock, Ralf Skirl., III. 82. This monotony soothed her to sleep.

  9.  To reduce the force or intensity of (a passion, pain, etc.); to render less painful or violent; to allay, assuage, mitigate, etc.

1711.  Addison, Spect., No. 170, ¶ 7. An intimate Friend that will … condole their Sufferings, and endeavour to sooth and asswage their secret Resentments.

1742.  Young, Nt. Th., IX. 16. Song soothes our pains; and age has pains to soothe.

1786.  Burns, Vision, II. xvi. Th’ adored Name, I taught thee how to pour in song, To soothe thy flame.

1807–8.  W. Irving, Salmag. (1824), 334. As if anxious to sooth the last moments of his master.

1868.  J. H. Blunt. Ref. Ch. Eng., I. 402. Soothing agitation or putting an end to discord.

1880.  L. Stephen, Pope, iv. 92. He was constantly wanting coffee, which seems to have soothed his headaches.

  b.  To drive away, to dispel, by soothing.

1746.  Francis, trans. Horace, Epist., I. ii. 46. IV. 27.

1853.  Mrs. 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.

1860.  Hawthorne, 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 tranquilizing influence.

1728.  Young, Love Fame, VI. 194. Ladies supreme among amusements reign; By nature born to sooth, and entertain.

1797.  Jane Austen, Sense & Sens. (1849), 260. Elinor, impatient to soothe, though too honest to flatter.

1809.  Byron, To Florence, xi. ’Twill soothe to be where thou hast been.

1850.  Tennyson, In Mem., lvi. O for thy voice to soothe and bless!

1871.  A. B. Garrod, Mat. Med. (ed. 3), 171. The decoction … is employed as an external application to allay pain and soothe.

  Hence Soothed ppl. a.

1599.  B. Jonson, Cynthia’s Rev., V. vi. Like an envious wretch, That glitters onely to his soothed selfe.

16[?].  The Distracted Emperor, in Bullen, O. Pl., III. 184. What will not soothed prynces?

1820.  Keats, St. Agnes, xxvii. The poppied warmth of sleep oppress’d Her soothed limbs.

1839–52.  Bailey, Festus, 379. A rainbow of sweet sounds, Just spanning the soothed sense.

1845.  Disraeli, Sybil (1863), 241. A warmth which expressed her sense of his kindness and her own soothed feelings.