Adjacent Words

Allay definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

ALLA'Y, v.t. [Gr.; L.ligo, to bind; but this may be the same word differently applied, that is, to set, to fix, to make fast, to unite. Allay and alloy were formerly used indifferently; but I have recognized an entire distinction between them, applying alloy to metals.]
1. To make quiet; to pacify, or appease; as, to allay the tumult of the passions, or to allay civil commotions.
2. To abate, mitigate, subdue or destroy; as, to allay grief or pain.
Females, who soften and allay the bitterness of adversity.
3. To obtund or repress as acrimony; as, to allay the acrid qualities of a substance.
4. Formerly, to reduce the purity of; as, to allay metals. But, in this sense, alloy is now exclusively used. [See Alloy.]
ALLA'Y, n.
1. Formerly, a baser metal mixed with a finer; but in this sense it is now written alloy, which see.
2. That which allays, or abates the predominant qualities; as, the allay of colors.
Also, abatement; diminution by means of some mixture; as, joy without allay. But alloy is now more generally used.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

v
1: lessen the intensity of or calm; "The news eased my conscience"; "still the fears" [syn: still, allay, relieve, ease]
2: satisfy (thirst); "The cold water quenched his thirst" [syn: quench, slake, allay, assuage]

Merriam Webster's

verb Etymology: Middle English alayen, from Old English ?lecgan, from ?- (perfective prefix) + lecgan to lay — more at abide, lay Date: 14th century transitive verb 1. to subdue or reduce in intensity or severity ; alleviate <expect a breeze to allay the heat> 2. to make quiet ; calm <trying to allay their fears> intransitive verb obsolete to diminish in strength ; subside Synonyms: see relieve

Oxford Reference Dictionary

v.tr. 1 diminish (fear, suspicion, etc.). 2 relieve or alleviate (pain, hunger, etc.). Etymology: OE alecgan (as A-(2), LAY(1))

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Allay Al*lay", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Allayed; p. pr. & vb. n. Allaying.] [OE. alaien, aleggen, to lay down, put down, humble, put an end to, AS. [=a]lecgan; [=a]- (cf. Goth. us-, G. er-, orig. meaning out) + lecgan to lay; but confused with old forms of allege, alloy, alegge. See Lay.] 1. To make quiet or put at rest; to pacify or appease; to quell; to calm; as, to allay popular excitement; to allay the tumult of the passions. 2. To alleviate; to abate; to mitigate; as, to allay the severity of affliction or the bitterness of adversity. It would allay the burning quality of that fell poison. --Shak. Syn: To alleviate; check; repress; assuage; appease; abate; subdue; destroy; compose; soothe; calm; quiet. See Alleviate.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Allay Al*lay", v. t. To diminish in strength; to abate; to subside. ``When the rage allays.'' --Shak.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Allay Al*lay", n. Alloy. [Obs.] --Chaucer.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Allay Al*lay", n. Alleviation; abatement; check. [Obs.]

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Allay Al*lay", v. t. To mix (metals); to mix with a baser metal; to alloy; to deteriorate. [Archaic] --Fuller.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

(allays, allaying, allayed) If you allay someone's fears or doubts, you stop them feeling afraid or doubtful. (FORMAL) He did what he could to allay his wife's fears. = calm VERB: V n

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

a-la' (heniach, "to cause to rest," "soothe": "Gentleness allayeth (lit., "pacifieth") great offenses" (Ec 10:4)): The word is applied to what "excites, disturbs and makes uneasy" (Smith, Synonyms Discriminated, 106).

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

v. a. 1. Repress, restrain, check, subdue, lay, silence, appease, pacify, compose, calm, quiet, still, lull, hush, tranquillize, smooth. 2. Assuage, alleviate, soothe, soften, mitigate, solace, moderate, mollify, temper, attemper, lessen, lighten, abate, qualify, relieve, ease, dull, blunt, palliate.

Moby Thesaurus

abate, alleviate, anesthetize, appease, assuage, attemper, balm, bank the fire, benumb, blunt, calm, chasten, cloy, compose, conciliate, constrain, control, cool, cram, cushion, damp, dampen, de-emphasize, deaden, deaden the pain, defuse, deliver, diminish, disburden, disembarrass, disencumber, downplay, dulcify, dull, ease, ease matters, engorge, extenuate, feast, feed, fill, fill up, foment, free, give relief, glut, gorge, gratify, jade, keep within bounds, lay, lay the dust, lenify, lessen, lighten, lull, mitigate, moderate, modulate, mollify, numb, obtund, overdose, overfeed, overfill, overgorge, oversaturate, overstuff, pacify, pad, pall, palliate, placate, play down, poultice, pour balm into, pour balm on, pour oil on, propitiate, quench, quiet, quieten, reduce, reduce the temperature, regale, release, relieve, restrain, salve, sate, satiate, satisfy, saturate, settle, slacken, slake, slow down, smooth, smooth down, smooth over, smother, sober, sober down, soften, soothe, stifle, still, stuff, stupe, subdue, supersaturate, suppress, surfeit, tame, temper, tone down, tranquilize, tune down, underplay, weaken