propitiate
/icons/point.icon PACIFY, APPEASE, PLACATE, MOLLIFY, PROPITIATE, CONCILIATE mean to ease the anger or disturbance of.
PACIFY suggests a soothing or calming.
e.g. pacified by a sincere apology
APPEASE implies quieting insistent demands by making concessions.
e.g. appease their territorial ambitions
PLACATE suggests changing resentment or bitterness to goodwill.
e.g. a move to placate local opposition
MOLLIFY implies soothing hurt feelings or rising anger.
e.g. a speech that mollified the demonstrators
PROPITIATE implies averting anger or malevolence especially of a superior being.
e.g. propitiated his parents by dressing up
CONCILIATE suggests ending an estrangement by persuasion, concession, or settling of differences.
e.g. conciliating the belligerent nations
verb with object
win or regain the favor of (a god, spirit, or person) by doing something that pleases them:
｟かたく｠ 〈人の怒りなど〉をなだめる, 鎮める; 〈人〉の機嫌をとる
e.g. the pagans thought it was important to propitiate the gods with sacrifices.
DERIVATIVES
propitiatory |prəˈpiSH(ē)əˌtôrē| adjective
propitiatorily adverb
ORIGIN
late Middle English (as propitiation): from Latin propitiat- ‘made favorable’, from the verb propitiare, from propitius ‘favorable, gracious’ (see propitious).