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Soothe vs Commiserate - What's the difference?

soothe | commiserate |

In lang=en terms the difference between soothe and commiserate

is that soothe is to bring comfort or relief while commiserate is to feel or express compassion or sympathy for (someone or something).

As verbs the difference between soothe and commiserate

is that soothe is (obsolete) to prove true; verify; confirm as true while commiserate is to feel or express compassion or sympathy for (someone or something).

As an adjective commiserate is

(obsolete|rare) commiserating, pitying, lamentful.

soothe

English

Verb

(sooth)
  • (obsolete) To prove true; verify; confirm as true.
  • (obsolete) To confirm the statements of; maintain the truthfulness of (a person); bear out.
  • (obsolete) To assent to; yield to; humour by agreement or concession.
  • To keep in good humour; wheedle; cajole; flatter.
  • To restore to ease, comfort, or tranquility; relieve; calm; quiet; refresh.
  • * 2013 , Daniel Taylor, Andros Townsend calms England's nerves in taming of Montenegro'' (in ''The Guardian , 11 October 2013)[http://www.theguardian.com/football/2013/oct/11/england-montenegro-world-cup-qualifier]
  • Yet Wayne Rooney scored at a good time, three minutes after the restart, to soothe any gathering nerves and the night can ultimately be chalked off as one of the finest occasions of Hodgson's 17 months in the job.
  • To allay; assuage; mitigate; soften.
  • (rare) To smooth over; render less obnoxious.
  • To calm or placate someone or some situation.
  • To ease or relieve pain or suffering.
  • To temporise by assent, concession, flattery, or cajolery.
  • To bring comfort or relief.
  • Derived terms

    * soothing

    commiserate

    English

    Etymology 1

    From , the perfect passive participle of commiseror.

    Adjective

    (-)
  • (obsolete, rare) commiserating, pitying, lamentful
  • * 1593 : , Christ’s Teares over Jerusalem , page 157 (1815 edited republication)
  • In the time of Gregory Nazianzene, if we may credit ecclesiastical records, there sprung up the direfulest mortality in Rome that mankind hath been acquainted with; scarce able were the living to bury the dead, and not so much but their streets were digged up for graves, which this holy Father (with no little commiserate heart-bleeding) beholding, commanded all the clergy (for he was at that time their chief bishop) to assemble in prayer and supplications, and deal forcingly beseeching with God, to intermit his fury and forgive them.

    References

    * “ †co?mmiserate, ppl. a.'']” listed in the '' [2nd Ed.; 1989

    Etymology 2

    Modelled upon , the perfect passive participial stem of the (etyl) commiseror.

    Alternative forms

    * (l) (obsolete) * (l) (obsolete spelling and modern misspelling) * (l) (obsolete spelling and modern misspelling)

    Verb

  • To feel or express compassion or sympathy for (someone or something).
  • (ambitransitive) To offer condolences jointly with; express sympathy with.
  • To sympathize; condole.
  • Derived terms
    * (l), (l) * (l)

    References

    * “ commiserate, v.'']” listed in the ''Oxford English Dictionary [2nd Ed.; 1989