allay
[ uh-ley ]
/ əˈleɪ /
verb (used with object), al·layed, al·lay·ing.
to put (fear, doubt, suspicion, anger, etc.) to rest; calm; quiet.
to lessen or relieve; mitigate; alleviate: to allay pain.
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Nearby words
allantoin, allantoinuria, allantois, allargando, allative, allay, allecret, allegation, allege, alleged, allegedly
Origin of allay
SYNONYMS FOR allay
Related forms
al·lay·er, nounun·al·layed, adjectiveSynonym study
1. Allay, moderate, soothe mean to reduce excitement or emotion. To allay is to lay to rest or lull to a sense of security, possibly by making the emotion seem unjustified: to allay suspicion, anxiety, fears. To moderate is to tone down any excess and thus to restore calm: to moderate the expression of one's grief. To soothe is to exert a pacifying or tranquilizing influence: to soothe a terrified child.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019
Examples from the Web for allay
British Dictionary definitions for allay
allay
/ (əˈleɪ) /
verb
to relieve (pain, grief, etc) or be relieved
(tr) to reduce (fear, anger, etc)
Word Origin for allay
Old English ālecgan to put down, from lecgan to lay 1
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
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