soothe

/suːð/ (bre, ipa) · /suːð/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈsüt͟h/ (ame, mw)

soothe — verb

  • soothepresent simple I / you / we / they
  • sootheshe / she / it
  • soothedpast simple
  • soothing-ing form

1. to help a person who is upset, worried, or angry become calmer, usually by speak

1.動詞及物B2
釋義

to help a person who is upset, worried, or angry become calmer, usually by speaking gently or by paying attention to what is bothering them.

例句

Ishaan hummed an old lullaby to soothe his baby sister back to sleep.

soothe + person; soothing through gentle action

The pilot's calm announcement did a lot to soothe the nervous passengers during the storm.

subject is something reassuring (words, voice, gesture)

同義詞
  • calm

    everyday word; broader and less tender than 'soothe'.

  • comfort

    focuses on offering warmth to someone in pain or grief, not specifically on calming nerves.

  • reassure

    specifically uses words or facts to remove a worry; 'soothe' can be wordless.

  • pacify

    often used when someone is actively angry or restless; can sound slightly diplomatic or strategic.

反義詞
  • agitate

    to actively stir up someone's emotions in the opposite direction.

  • upset

    general everyday opposite.

  • provoke

    to deliberately cause an angry reaction.

文法句型

soothe + somebody

soothe somebody's + feelings/nerves/anger

用法筆記

Object is usually a person, animal, or an emotion noun (fears, nerves, anger, worries). Subject is the gentle action, voice, or person doing the calming.

常見錯誤

❌I soothed about the bad news for hours.
✅I worried about the bad news for hours.
💡'soothe' is what someone or something does TO another person; it is not how you describe your own state of distress.

2. to reduce the discomfort of a sore, itchy, or tense area on your skin or inside

2.動詞及物B2
釋義

to reduce the discomfort of a sore, itchy, or tense area on your skin or inside your body, usually by applying something cool, warm, or gentle to that area.

例句

Élise rubbed aloe gel on her shoulders to soothe the sunburn from the beach.

soothe + body condition (sunburn, rash, sore muscles)

A warm bath with sea salt can really soothe aching feet after a long shift.

subject is a treatment; object is the painful body part

同義詞
  • relieve

    removes or reduces pain more completely; clinical-sounding.

  • ease

    very close in meaning; slightly broader (eases pain, eases tension).

  • alleviate

    more formal; common in medical or written contexts.

反義詞
  • irritate

    to make a body part itchier, redder, or more painful.

  • aggravate

    to make an existing pain or injury worse.

文法句型

soothe + body part

soothe + ache/pain/itch/burn

用法筆記

Object is typically a body part (throat, skin, muscles) or a physical sensation (ache, itch, burn, sting). Distinguish from sense 1: here the subject is usually a treatment or substance, not a person speaking.

常見錯誤

❌The medicine soothed my illness completely.
✅The medicine cured my illness completely.
💡'soothe' only reduces the discomfort; it does not remove the underlying problem.