comfort

comfort
\ \ [13] Comfort did not always have its present ‘soft’ connotations of physical ease, contentment, and well-being. Etymologically it means ‘make someone stronger’, and its original English sense was ‘encourage, support’ (this survives in such contexts as ‘give aid and comfort to the enemy’). It comes via Old French conforter from late Latin confortārestrengthen greatly’, a compound verb formed from the prefix com- ‘with’ used as an intensive and the adjective fortisstrong’ (source of English force, fort, and effort).
\ \ The antonym discomfort is not etymologically related to discomfit, a word with which it is often confused.
\ \ Cf.EFFORT, FORCE, FORT

Word origins - 2ed. . 2005.

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  • Comfort — Com fort, n. [OF. confort, fr. conforter.] 1. Assistance; relief; support. [Obs. except in the phrase aid and comfort. See 5 below.] Shak. [1913 Webster] 2. Encouragement; solace; consolation in trouble; also, that which affords consolation.… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Comfort — Com fort, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Comforted}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Comforting.}] [F. conforter, fr. L. confortare to strengthen much; con + fortis strong. See {Fort}.] 1. To make strong; to invigorate; to fortify; to corroborate. [Obs.] Wyclif. [1913… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • comfort — n ease, *rest, repose, relaxation, leisure Analogous words: contentedness or content, satisfaction (see corre sponding adjectives under SATISFY vb): enjoyment, joy, fruition, *pleasure: relief, assuagement, alleviation (see corresponding verbs at …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • comfort — [kum′fərt] vt. [ME comforten < OFr conforter, to comfort < LL (esp. in Vulg. of O.T.) confortare, to strengthen much < L com , intens. + fortis, strong: see FORT1] 1. to soothe in distress or sorrow; ease the misery or grief of; bring… …   English World dictionary

  • Comfort — (Марина ди Кампо,Италия) Категория отеля: Адрес: Piazza Vittorio Emanuele II , 57034 Марина …   Каталог отелей

  • Comfort — Comfort, TX U.S. Census Designated Place in Texas Population (2000): 2358 Housing Units (2000): 917 Land area (2000): 3.205519 sq. miles (8.302256 sq. km) Water area (2000): 0.014612 sq. miles (0.037845 sq. km) Total area (2000): 3.220131 sq.… …   StarDict's U.S. Gazetteer Places

  • Comfort, TX — U.S. Census Designated Place in Texas Population (2000): 2358 Housing Units (2000): 917 Land area (2000): 3.205519 sq. miles (8.302256 sq. km) Water area (2000): 0.014612 sq. miles (0.037845 sq. km) Total area (2000): 3.220131 sq. miles (8.340101 …   StarDict's U.S. Gazetteer Places

  • comfort — [n1] good feeling; ease abundance, alleviation, amenity, assuagement, bed of roses*, cheer, cheerfulness, complacency, contentment, convenience, coziness, creature comforts*, enjoyment, exhilaration, facility, gratification, happiness, luxury,… …   New thesaurus

  • comfort — ► NOUN 1) a state of physical ease and freedom from pain or constraint. 2) (comforts) things that contribute to comfort. 3) consolation for grief or anxiety. ► VERB ▪ cause to feel less unhappy; console. DERIVATIVES comforting …   English terms dictionary

  • Comfort 24 — (Одесса,Украина) Категория отеля: Адрес: Frantsuzskiy Boulevard 16, Одесса, 65000, Украи …   Каталог отелей

  • Comfort — (engl.), 1) Hülfe; 2) Bequemlichkeit, Behaglichkeit; daher: Comfortabel (spr. Comfortäbl), bequem, behaglich …   Pierer's Universal-Lexikon

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