soother
/ˈsuːðə(r)/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈsuːðər/ (ame, ipa) · /-t͟hə(r)/ (ame, mw)
soother — noun
- soothersingular
- soothersplural
1. a person, activity, or thing that helps someone feel less worried, upset, or str
a person, activity, or thing that helps someone feel less worried, upset, or stressed
After a stressful week, Chiara finds a warm bath a perfect soother for her nerves.
soother for [body part/emotion] — typical preposition pattern
The night nurse's gentle voice was a real soother for the frightened child.
Noa listens to soft piano music as a soother before her final exams.
For Anong, a walk by the river is the best soother after a hard meeting.
- comfort
soother emphasises the agent (person/thing) that causes calm, while comfort can also be an abstract feeling
- calming agent
more technical or formal; soother is more personal and everyday
- agitator
someone who deliberately makes others upset or angry
2. a cream, gel, drink, or other substance that eases physical pain or discomfort i
a cream, gel, drink, or other substance that eases physical pain or discomfort in a localised area such as the throat, muscles, or skin
Arjun rubbed a cooling gel on his sore shoulder, and the soother worked almost immediately.
soother for [body part] — typical pattern
Honey and lemon can act as a natural soother for a scratchy throat.
The pharmacist recommended a herbal soother for Chiara's inflamed gums.
A cold compress can be an effective soother for a twisted ankle.
- irritant
something that makes pain or discomfort worse
用法筆記
Commonly used for home remedies or topical treatments rather than prescription medication.
3. a child's comfort item made of soft material that a baby puts in its mouth and s
a child's comfort item made of soft material that a baby puts in its mouth and sucks on to feel calm and stop crying
When baby Maeve cried, her mother gave her a soother to suck on.
give + baby/child + a soother — typical collocation
Noor's grandmother bought a pack of colourful soothers for the new baby.
The baby refused to sleep without her blue soother in her mouth.
Anthony's aunt sterilised the soother every evening before putting it away.
用法筆記
This sense is the most common use of 'soother' in everyday British English. In American English the equivalent word is 'pacifier'. 'Dummy' is the common term in British English, with 'soother' used mainly in Ireland and parts of the UK.
常見錯誤
soother — verb
- sootherpresent simple I / you / we / they
- soothers3rd person singular
- soothering-ing form
- sootheredpast simple
1. to gently help a person or animal become calmer and stop feeling upset, afraid,
to gently help a person or animal become calmer and stop feeling upset, afraid, or worried
Constanza soothered her anxious dog by speaking softly and stroking its ears.
soother + animal — example with direct object
The old woman soothered the crying toddler with a lullaby and a warm blanket.
Noa soothered her crying sister with a gentle hug and a soft song.
The farmer soothered the frightened horse by talking to it in a calm voice.
文法句型
soother + person/animal
用法筆記
This verb is very rare in modern English; the much more common verb is 'soothe'. You are far more likely to encounter 'soother' as a noun. Use 'soothe' for natural-sounding speech or writing.
常見錯誤
2. to persuade someone to do what you want by praising them or saying nice things t
to persuade someone to do what you want by praising them or saying nice things to them
Anthony soothered his colleague into taking the extra shift with flattery.
soother + person + into + gerund — typical grammar pattern
The diplomat soothered the cautious negotiator with warm praise before raising the difficult topic.
Noor soothered the store manager into giving her a discount on the sofa.
The salesperson soothered the customer into signing the yearly contract.
- dissuade
to persuade someone not to do something
- discourage
to make someone less willing to do something
文法句型
soother + person + into + doing something
用法筆記
This sense is extremely rare and mostly found in older literary texts. The more common modern verb is 'coax'. 'Soother' in this meaning carries a slightly negative tone — it suggests insincere flattery used to get one's way.