Definition

1. Verb phrase:
   • To soothe someone's anger; to placate; to appease: The act of calming down a person who is angry, often through gentle words, actions, or concessions, in order to restore peace or goodwill.

Usage Examples

• Verb phrase:
  • Cô ấy mua hoa để vuốt giận chồng. (She bought flowers to soothe her husband's anger.)
  • Anh ấy cố gắng vuốt giận sếp sau sự cố. (He tried to placate his boss after the incident.)
  • Lời xin lỗi chân thành đã giúp vuốt giận mọi người. (The sincere apology helped to appease everyone.)

Advanced Usage

• The phrase often implies a deliberate and tactful effort to manage an interpersonal conflict. It is used in contexts where one party attempts to de-escalate a situation caused by another's displeasure or rage.

Variants and Related Words

• Làm lành (v): to make peace, to reconcile.

  • Họ ngồi lại nói chuyện để làm lành. (They sat down to talk and make peace.)

• Dỗ dành (v): to coax, to pacify (often used for children).

  • Mẹ dỗ dành đứa bé đang khóc. (The mother pacified the crying child.)

Synonyms

• Placate: to make someone less angry or hostile.
• Appease: to pacify or soothe, especially by giving in to demands.
• Mollify: to reduce someone's anger or anxiety.
• Pacify: to bring peace, to calm.

Related Idioms

• Xuống nước: to yield or give in (in an argument or conflict), often as a step to appease.

  • Thấy vợ giận, anh ấy đành xuống nước. (Seeing his wife was angry, he had to yield.)

• Hạ hỏa: (literally: to lower the fire) to calm someone down, to cool someone's temper.

  • Anh phải nói khéo để bà ấy hạ hỏa. (You have to speak tactfully to get her to cool down.)