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Mollified vs Nonplussed - What's the difference?

mollified | nonplussed |

As verbs the difference between mollified and nonplussed

is that mollified is (mollify) while nonplussed is (nonplus).

As an adjective nonplussed is

bewildered; unsure how to respond or act.

mollified

English

Verb

(head)
  • (mollify)

    • mollify

    English

    Alternative forms

    * mollifie

    Verb

    (en-verb)
  • To ease a burden, particularly worry; make less painful; to comfort.
  • * 1893 , (Henry George), The Condition of Labor: An Open Letter to Pope Leo XIII, p. 104:
  • *:All that charity can do where injustice exists is here and there to somewhat mollify the effects of injustice.
  • * 1997 , A Government Reinvented: A Study of Alberta's Deficit Elimination Program, p. 408:
  • *:The draft Charter School Handbook issued in November 1994 sought to mollify concerns over teacher quality, if not ATA membership, by requiring teacher certification.
  • To appease (anger), pacify, gain the good will of.
  • * 1867 , , chapter 2:
    • Although this invitation was accompanied with a curtsey that might have softened the heart of a church-warden, it by no means mollified the beadle.
  • * 1916 , , chapter 5:
    • The angry goat was quite mollified by the respectful tone in which he was addressed.
  • To soften; to make tender
  • * 1662 , , Book III, A Collection of Several Philosophical Writings of Dr. Henry More, p. 113:
    • "Nor is it any more difficulty for him to mollifie what is hard, then it is to harden what is so soft and fluid as the Aire."
  • * 1724 , (William Burkitt), Expository Notes, with Practical Observations on the New Testament, p. 102:
  • *:By thy kindness thou wilt melt and mollify his spirit towards thee, as hardest metals are melted by coals of fire …

    • Synonyms

    * (to ease a burden) assuage, calm, comfort, mitigate, soothe * (to appease) appease, conciliate, pacify, placate, propitiate, satisfy * See also

    Related terms

    * emollient * mollification

    nonplussed

    English

    Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • Bewildered; unsure how to respond or act.
  • * 1724 , (Daniel Defoe), :
    • Note, the honest Quaker was nonplussed , and greatly surprised at that question.
  • * Episode 16
    • For the nonce he was rather nonplussed but inasmuch as the duty plainly devolved upon him to take some measures on the subject he pondered suitable ways and means during which Stephen repeatedly yawned.
  • * 2000 , Marcia Miller & Martin Lee, Vocabulary, Word of the Day
    • "Dad was so nonplussed by the new VCR that he gave up and asked Mom to set it for him ".
  • (proscribed, US, informal) Unfazed, unaffected, or unimpressed.
  • *
  • *
  • *

    • Usage notes

    In recent North American English nonplussed has acquired the alternative meaning of "unimpressed". In 1999, this was considered a neologism, ostensibly from "not plussed", although "plussed" by itself is not a recognized English word. The "unimpressed" meaning is not considered standard usage by at least one authoritative source.{{cite web , url = http://www.askoxford.com/concise_oed/nonplussed?view=uk , title = askOxford: nonplussed , accessdate = 2007-04-20 , language = English }}

    Synonyms

    * (bewildered) perplexed, vexed, thwarted, frustrated, foiled, confounded

    Verb

    (head)
  • (nonplus)

    • References