1. (v. t.) To soften; to sooth; to make tender; to reduce the hardness, harshness, or asperity of\; to qualify; as, to mollify the ground.

2. (v. t.) To assuage, as pain or irritation, to appease, as excited feeling or passion; to pacify; to calm.

abate allay alleviate anesthetize appease assuage benumb calm calm down compose conciliate cool cradle cushion deaden deaden the pain decrease defuse diminish dulcify dull ease ease matters even out fluff foment gentle give relief hush knead laxate lay lay the dust lessen lighten limber limber up loosen lull mash massage mellow milden mitigate numb pacify pad palliate placate plump poultice pour balm into pour balm on pour oil on propitiate pulp quell quiet reduce relax relieve rest rock rock to sleep salve shake up slacken slake smash smooth smooth down smooth over smoothen soften soften up soothe squash stabilize steady still stupe subdue supple sweeten temper tenderize tone down tranquilize tune down