what is the meaning of assuaged?

Answer 1

assuaged means to make less intense or severe

Dear Madam,

I have been shown in the files of the War Department
a statement of the Adjutant General of Massachusetts,
that you are the mother of five sons who have died
gloriously on the field of battle.

I feel how weak and fruitless must be any words
of mine which should attempt to beguileyou from
the grief of a loss so overwhelming. But I cannot
refrain from tendering to you the consolation that
may be found in the thanks of the Republic they
died to save.

I pray that our Heavenly Father may assuage the
anguish of your bereavement, and leave you only
the cherished memory of the loved and lost,
and the solemn pride that must be yours, to have
laid so costly a sacrifice upon the altar of Freedom.

Yours very sincerely and respectfully,

A. Lincoln

Answer 2

To lessen an unpleasant effect of some kind. An example is when a person "assuages" their conscience by making up for something in some way.

Answer 3

At the yahoo web search prompt type: define: assuaged.

The first response is at http://education.yahoo.com/reference/dictionary/entry/assuage, and states:

as·suage (-swj) KEY

TRANSITIVE VERB:
as·suaged , as·suag·ing , as·suag·es
To make (something burdensome or painful) less intense or severe: assuage her grief. See Synonyms at relieve.
To satisfy or appease (hunger or thirst, for example).
To pacify or calm: assuage their chronic insecurity.

Answer 4

word meanings are given in a dictionary
if you don't have access to a printed one,
you can find several online

www.m-w.com (these even includes audio clips with pronunciation)
www.dictionary.com
use a search engine to find others

Answer 5

mollified