comfort

comfort
—comfortless, adj.
/kum"feuhrt/, v.t.
1. to soothe, console, or reassure; bring cheer to: They tried to comfort her after her loss.
2. to make physically comfortable.
3. Obs. to aid; support or encourage.
n.
4. relief in affliction; consolation; solace: Her presence was a comfort to him.
5. a feeling of relief or consolation: Her forgiveness afforded him great comfort.
6. a person or thing that gives consolation: She was a great comfort to him.
7. a cause or matter of relief or satisfaction: The patient's recovery was a comfort to the doctor.
8. a state of ease and satisfaction of bodily wants, with freedom from pain and anxiety: He is a man who enjoys his comfort.
9. something that promotes such a state: His wealth allows him to enjoy a high degree of comfort.
10. Chiefly Midland and Southern U.S. a comforter or quilt.
11. Obs. strengthening aid; assistance.
[1175-1225; (v.) ME comfortien, var. of confortien, conforten < AF, OF conforter < LL confortare to strengthen, equiv. to con- CON- + -fortare v. deriv. of L fortis strong; (n.) ME < AF, OF, n. deriv. of the v.]
Syn. 1. pacify, calm, solace, gladden. COMFORT, CONSOLE, RELIEVE, SOOTHE imply assuaging sorrow, worry, discomfort, or pain. To COMFORT is to lessen the sadness or sorrow of someone and to strengthen by inspiring with hope and restoring a cheerful outlook: to comfort a despairing person. CONSOLE, a more formal word, means to make grief or distress seem lighter, by means of kindness and thoughtful attentions: to console a bereaved parent. RELIEVE means to lighten, lessen, or remove pain, trouble, discomfort, or hardship: to relieve a needy person. SOOTHE means to pacify or calm: to soothe a child. 1, 2. ease. 8. See ease.

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Universalium. 2010.

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  • Comfort — Com fort, n. [OF. confort, fr. conforter.] 1. Assistance; relief; support. [Obs. except in the phrase aid and comfort. See 5 below.] Shak. [1913 Webster] 2. Encouragement; solace; consolation in trouble; also, that which affords consolation.… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Comfort — Com fort, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Comforted}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Comforting.}] [F. conforter, fr. L. confortare to strengthen much; con + fortis strong. See {Fort}.] 1. To make strong; to invigorate; to fortify; to corroborate. [Obs.] Wyclif. [1913… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • comfort — n ease, *rest, repose, relaxation, leisure Analogous words: contentedness or content, satisfaction (see corre sponding adjectives under SATISFY vb): enjoyment, joy, fruition, *pleasure: relief, assuagement, alleviation (see corresponding verbs at …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • comfort — [kum′fərt] vt. [ME comforten < OFr conforter, to comfort < LL (esp. in Vulg. of O.T.) confortare, to strengthen much < L com , intens. + fortis, strong: see FORT1] 1. to soothe in distress or sorrow; ease the misery or grief of; bring… …   English World dictionary

  • Comfort — (Марина ди Кампо,Италия) Категория отеля: Адрес: Piazza Vittorio Emanuele II , 57034 Марина …   Каталог отелей

  • Comfort — Comfort, TX U.S. Census Designated Place in Texas Population (2000): 2358 Housing Units (2000): 917 Land area (2000): 3.205519 sq. miles (8.302256 sq. km) Water area (2000): 0.014612 sq. miles (0.037845 sq. km) Total area (2000): 3.220131 sq.… …   StarDict's U.S. Gazetteer Places

  • Comfort, TX — U.S. Census Designated Place in Texas Population (2000): 2358 Housing Units (2000): 917 Land area (2000): 3.205519 sq. miles (8.302256 sq. km) Water area (2000): 0.014612 sq. miles (0.037845 sq. km) Total area (2000): 3.220131 sq. miles (8.340101 …   StarDict's U.S. Gazetteer Places

  • comfort — [n1] good feeling; ease abundance, alleviation, amenity, assuagement, bed of roses*, cheer, cheerfulness, complacency, contentment, convenience, coziness, creature comforts*, enjoyment, exhilaration, facility, gratification, happiness, luxury,… …   New thesaurus

  • comfort — ► NOUN 1) a state of physical ease and freedom from pain or constraint. 2) (comforts) things that contribute to comfort. 3) consolation for grief or anxiety. ► VERB ▪ cause to feel less unhappy; console. DERIVATIVES comforting …   English terms dictionary

  • Comfort 24 — (Одесса,Украина) Категория отеля: Адрес: Frantsuzskiy Boulevard 16, Одесса, 65000, Украи …   Каталог отелей

  • Comfort — (engl.), 1) Hülfe; 2) Bequemlichkeit, Behaglichkeit; daher: Comfortabel (spr. Comfortäbl), bequem, behaglich …   Pierer's Universal-Lexikon

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