1. (p. pr. & vb. n.) of Soften.

2. (a. & n.) from Soften.

abatement abating allaying allayment alleviating alleviation alleviative allowance altering analgesia analgesic anesthesia anesthetic anesthetizing anodyne appeasement assuagement assuaging assuasive attenuation attrition balmy balsamic benumbing blunting bounding calming cathartic chastening cleansing color cushioning dampening damping deadening debilitation decontamination demulcent demulsion devitalization dilution diminishing diminishment diminution dulcification dulling ease easement easing effemination emollient enervation enfeeblement evisceration exhaustion extenuating extenuating circumstances extenuation extenuative extenuatory falling-off fatigue gilding gloss hushing inanition languishment laxation leniency lenitive lessening letdown letup lightening limitative limiting loosening lulling mellowing mitigating mitigation mitigative mitigatory modificatory modifying modulation modulatory mollification mollifying numbing pacification padding pain-killing palliation palliative purgative qualification qualificative qualificatory qualifying quietening quieting reducing reduction relaxation relaxing relief relieving remedial remedy remission restricting restrictive salving slackening softening-up soothing subduement subduing tempering thinning tranquilization varnish weakening whitewash whitewashing