Basic Details
Word: Palliate
Part of Speech: Verb
Meaning: To make something less severe or serious; to ease pain or discomfort without curing the problem.
Synonyms: Alleviate, soothe, mitigate
Antonyms: Intensify, aggravate, worsen
Idioms and Phrases
- Palliation of pain: Refers to easing or reducing pain without treating the underlying cause. Example: "The doctor focused on palliation of pain for the patient in her final days."
- Palliate one's fears: To reduce someone’s worries or fears, usually by providing reassurance. Example: "He told stories to palliate his fears about the approaching storm."
Usage Examples
Example 1: The nurse administered medication to palliate the patient’s suffering during recovery.
Example 2: Although the treatment could not cure the disease, it did palliate the symptoms effectively.
Example 3: They organised art therapy sessions to palliate the emotional distress caused by the tragedy.
Fun Fact
The word "palliate" comes from the Latin word "palliatio," which means "to cloak." This origin reflects the idea of covering up or easing the severity of discomfort rather than eliminating it completely.
Famous Quote
"To palliate, to soften, to soothe the pain of life, is to give its best gift." Unknown
Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs)
1. What does "palliate" mean?
a) To cure a disease
b) To make something less severe
c) To create a problem
d) To ignore a symptom
Answer: b) To make something less severe
2. Which of these is a synonym of "palliate"?
a) Alleviate
b) Complicate
c) Aggravate
d) Intensify
Answer: a) Alleviate
3. Which of the following is an antonym of "palliate"?
a) Soothe
b) Mitigate
c) Worsen
d) Relieve
Answer: c) Worsen
4. Which sentence uses "palliate" correctly?
a) She tried to palliate her headache with a glass of water.
b) His jokes were intended to palliate the atmosphere at the funeral.
c) To palliate meant to run very fast.
d) He decided to palliate the car by washing it.
Answer: b) His jokes were intended to palliate the atmosphere at the funeral.
5. Which idiom relates to the idea of palliation?
a) All smoke and mirrors
b) Palliation of pain
c) Jumping on the bandwagon
d) Bite the bullet
Answer: b) Palliation of pain
