趴趴兵营之同型词归类60

注：
活动内容：
a.填补一下相应单词的中文释义（有一词多义的其他词义也请给出），市场统一零售价5考元一个释义
b.每个单词下面的例句有兴趣有时间翻译的同学也可翻译一下方便他人，市场统一零售价10考元一个句子翻译
c.有任何想法烦请大家提出来，大家一起提高O(∩_∩)O
d.很多人反应说看不懂内容，其实这东西可能更多的就是每天复习几个单词，翻译几个句子，就这么简单……

本期词汇：
ease • relieve • alleviate • soften • allay • cushion • soothe • lighten
These words all mean to become or make sth less unpleasant or severe.

PATTERNS AND COLLOCATIONS

► to ease/​relieve/​alleviate/​soothe the pain
► to ease/​relieve/​alleviate/​allay/​soothe sb's fear/​anxiety
► to ease/​relieve/​alleviate sb's problems/​suffering
► to ease/​relieve/​alleviate/​soften/​allay/​soothe/​lighten a feeling
► to ease/​relieve/​alleviate pressure/​stress/​poverty
► to ease/​relieve/​alleviate/​lighten the burden
► to ease/​relieve/​lighten the load
► to ease/​alleviate/​soften/​cushion the impact of sth
► to do little/​nothing to ease/​relieve/​alleviate/​soften/​allay/​soothe/​lighten sth


ease [ T , I ]
to make sth less painful, severe or strong; to become less painful, severe or strong
It would ease my mind ( = make me less worried ) to know that she was happy.

relieve [ T ] to remove or reduce an unpleasant feeling or pain; to make a problem less serious
Aid workers called for further effort from governments to relieve the famine.

alleviate [ T ] ( rather formal ) to make a feeling or problem less severe or strong
A number of measures were taken to alleviate the problem. OPP aggravate , exacerbate


soften [ T ]
to reduce the force or the unpleasant effects of sth
The government may try to soften the blow ( = make things seem less unpleasant and easier to accept ) with a cut in interest rates.

allay [ T ] ( formal )
to make an unpleasant feeling less strong
To allay suspicion she ate three spoonfuls of the mixture herself.

cushion [ T ] to protect sb/sth from harm or the unpleasant effects of sth
He broke the news of my brother's death to me, making no effort to cushion the blow ( = make the news less shocking ) . NOTE soften or cushion?
In many cases you can use either word. However, when cushion is used in the passive, the focus is on who or what benefits from the situation, rather than what has been reduced or eased: Homeowners will be cushioned from any tax rises. ◇ All grief is softened with time.


soothe [ T ]
to reduce an unpleasant feeling or pain
Only when Maisie came to hold him and soothe his fears did he feel safe.
NOTE relieve or soothe?
You can relieve or soothe pain or painful feelings; you can soothe , but not relieve a painful part of the body : [strike]Take a warm bath to relieve tense, tired muscles. [/strike]You can relieve , but not soothe the cause of the pain or feelings : [strike]Don't resort to alcohol to soothe stress. [/strike]

lighten [ T ]
to reduce the amount of work, debt, worry or other problem that sb has
This equipment is designed to lighten the load of domestic work.
In this meaning lighten is nearly always followed by the nouns load or burden .

ease  
[i:z]
n. 1 容易 2 舒适, 安逸
vt. & vi. (使)减轻, 舒缓
vt. 1 使安心, 使宽慰 2 小心缓慢地移动位置
vi. 缓和, 改善  

relieve  
[riˈli:v]
vt. 1 缓解, 消除, 减少 2 换班, 换岗
  
alleviate  
[əˈli:vieit]
vt. 减轻, 缓解, 缓和

soften  
[ˈsɔfn]
vt. & vi. (使)变软, (使)变轻柔, (使)变温和

allay  
[əˈlei]
vt. 减轻, 缓和

cushion  
[ˈkuʃən]
n. 垫子, 坐垫
  
soothe  
[su:ð]
vt. 1 安慰, 抚慰, 使舒服, 使平静 2 减轻痛苦
  
lighten  
[ˈlaitn]
vt. 使(某物)更明亮
vi. 变得更光明

It would ease my mind ( = make me less worried ) to know that she was happy.
知道她很高兴使我很安心。

Aid workers called for further effort from governments to relieve the famine.
援助工作者呼吁政府进一步努力来减轻饥荒。

A number of measures were taken to alleviate the problem.
采取了一些措施来缓和问题。

The government may try to soften the blow ( = make things seem less unpleasant and easier to accept ) with a cut in interest rates.
政府采取经低利率的措施减少冲击。

To allay suspicion she ate three spoonfuls of the mixture herself.
为了减轻怀疑，她自己吃了三份的混合物。

He broke the news of my brother's death to me, making no effort to cushion the blow ( = make the news less shocking ) .
他直接把我的弟弟去世的消息告诉了我，没做任何铺垫来减轻这对造成的影响。

Only when Maisie came to hold him and soothe his fears did he feel safe.
只有当梅西来抱住他，抚慰他，他才感到有安全感。

This equipment is designed to lighten the load of domestic work.
此设备是为了减轻家务劳动负担。

ease [ T , I ] 容易，减轻
to make sth less painful, severe or strong; to become less painful, severe or strong
使得事情更少疼痛，更不严重或更不强壮；变得更少疼痛，更不严重或更不强壮
It would ease my mind ( = make me less worried ) to know that she was happy.
知道她是快乐的，这使得我很放心。

relieve [ T ] 减轻，救助
to remove or reduce an unpleasant feeling or pain; to make a problem less serious
移动或减少不快乐的感觉或疼痛；使得问题更不严重
Aid workers called for further effort from governments to relieve the famine.
援助工作者与政府通话要求进一步努力减轻饥荒。