Pacify

  • 1Pacify — Pac i*fy, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Pacified}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Pacifying}.] [F. pacifier, L. pacificare; pax, pacis, peace + ficare (in comp.) to make. See {Peace}, and { fy}.] To make to be at peace; to appease; to calm; to still; to quiet; to allay …

    The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • 2pacify — pacify, appease, placate, mollify, propitiate, conciliate are comparable when they mean to quiet excited, aroused, or disturbed persons. Pacify implies a soothing or calming of anger, grievance, or agitation, or the quelling of insurrection… …

    New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • 3pacify — [pas′ə fī΄] vt. pacified, pacifying [ME pacifien < OFr pacefier < L pacificare < pax (gen. pacis), PEACE + facere, to make, DO1] 1. to make peaceful or calm; appease; tranquilize 2. a) to establish or secure peace in (a …

    English World dictionary

  • 4pacify — (v.) late 15c., from M.Fr. pacifier, from O.Fr., make peace, from L. pacificare to make peace, pacify, from pacificus (see PACIFIC (Cf. pacific)). Related: Pacified; pacifying …

    Etymology dictionary

  • 5pacify — I verb accommodate, alleviate, appease, assuage, becalm, bring to terms, calm, componere, conciliate, dulcify, ease, lenire, make peace, mediate, mellow, mollify, pacificate, placare, placate, please, propitiate, quell, quiet, reconcile, relieve …

    Law dictionary

  • 6pacify — [v] make peaceful; appease allay, ameliorate, assuage, bury the hatchet*, butter up*, calm, chasten, compose, con, conciliate, cool, dulcify, fix up, grease*, kiss and make up*, lay back, lull, make peace, mitigate, moderate, mollify, pacificate …

    New thesaurus

  • 7pacify — ► VERB (pacifies, pacified) 1) quell the anger or agitation of. 2) bring peace to (a country or warring factions). DERIVATIVES pacification noun. ORIGIN Latin pacificare, from pax peace …

    English terms dictionary

  • 8pacify — transitive verb ( fied; fying) Etymology: Middle English pacifien, from Anglo French pacifier, from Latin pacificare, from pac , pax peace Date: 15th century 1. a. to allay the anger or agitation of ; soothe < pacify a crying child > b …

    New Collegiate Dictionary

  • 9pacify — verb go out there and try to pacify the passengers Syn: placate, appease, calm (down), conciliate, propitiate, assuage, mollify, soothe Ant: enrage •• pacify, appease, conciliate, mollify, placate, propitiate You might try to pacify a crying baby …

    Thesaurus of popular words

  • 10pacify — [[t]pæ̱sɪfaɪ[/t]] pacifies, pacifying, pacified 1) VERB If you pacify someone who is angry, upset, or not pleased, you succeed in making them calm or pleased. [V n] Is this a serious step, or is this just something to pacify the critics?... [V n] …

    English dictionary