propitiate

/propitiate/

Thân thiện

He offered a gift to propitiate the local deity.

Definition

1. Verb:
   • To make peace with; to appease or conciliate: "propitiate" means to win or regain the favor or goodwill of a person, god, or spirit by doing something to please them or to remove their anger. It involves an action intended to make someone who is angry or displeased become favorable or calm.

Usage

• The verb "propitiate" is typically used with a direct object—the entity being appeased.
• It is often used in formal, literary, or religious contexts.
• It describes a deliberate action taken to overcome hostility or displeasure.

Examples

• Verb:
  • The ancient tribe would offer sacrifices to propitiate the gods of the harvest.
  • He tried to propitiate his angry boss by working overtime and submitting a detailed apology.
  • Diplomats attempted to propitiate the hostile nation with favorable trade terms.

Advanced Usage

• "To propitiate someone's wrath/anger": a common collocation emphasizing the goal of calming a specific strong emotion.
  • The ruler built a grand temple to propitiate the people's wrath after the famine.
• The concept often implies that the subject is in a subordinate or supplicant position relative to the entity being propitiated.

Variants and Related Words

• Propitiation (n): The act of propitiating; appeasement.
  • The ceremony was an act of propitiation.
• Propitious (adj): Favorably disposed; giving or indicating a good chance of success. (Note: This adjective describes a favorable condition, which is the desired of propitiation).
  • The propitious weather ensured a successful voyage.
• Propitiatory (adj): Intended to propitiate.
  • They made propitiatory offerings at the shrine.

Synonyms

• Appease: To bring to a state of peace or quiet.
• Conciliate: To overcome the distrust or hostility of.
• Placate: To soothe or mollify, especially by concessions.
• Mollify: To soften in feeling or temper.

Antonyms

• Antagonize: To incur the dislike of.
• Provoke: To incite to anger or resentment.
• Offend: To cause displeasure, anger, or resentment.

Related Phrases and Idioms

• While there are no common phrasal verbs with "propitiate," the concept is central to phrases like:
  • "To make amends": To compensate for a wrong, which can be a way to propitiate someone.
  • "To pour oil on troubled waters": To try to calm a difficult situation, similar in intent to propitiate.

Học thuật

Verb

1. make peace with

Từ đồng nghĩa

• appease