Vocab: palliate – to ease without curing

Words for Readers and Writers.
Larry Woiwode.

He never tried to palliate an audience, or play up to or, worse, down to one, and his observations and conclusions open the reader’s mind to possibilities in new and memorable modes…

Page: 106

Word: palliate

transitive verb

Definition:

1. to reduce the violence of (a disease); also :  to ease (symptoms) without curing the underlying disease
2. to cover by excuses and apologies
3. to moderate the intensity of <trying to palliate the boredom>

Pronunciation: \?pa-l?-??t\

Examples:

1. treatments that can palliate the painful symptoms of the disease
2. <don’t try to palliate your constant lying by claiming that everybody lies>

Origin: Middle English, from Late Latin palliatus, past participle of palliare to cloak, conceal, from Latin pallium cloak

First Known Use: 15th century

The only time I have heard a derivative of this word used is in relation to end-of-life suffering.

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