Definify.com
Webster 1913 Edition
Comfort
Com′fort
,Verb.
T.
[
imp. & p. p.
Comforted
; p. pr. & vb. n.
Comforting.
] 1.
To make strong; to invigorate; to fortify; to corroborate.
[Obs.]
Wyclif.
God’s own testimony . . . doth not a little
comfort
and confirm the same. Hooker.
2.
To assist or help; to aid.
[Obs.]
I . . . can not help the noble chevalier:
God
God
comfort
him in this necessity! Shakespeare
3.
To impart strength and hope to; to encourage; to relieve; to console; to cheer.
Light excelleth in
comforting
the spirits of men. Bacon.
That we may be able to
comfort
them that are in any affliction. 2 Cor. i. 4 (Rev. Ver.).
Syn. – To cheer; solace; console; revive; encourage; enliven; invigorate; inspirit; gladden; recreate; exhilarate; refresh; animate; confirm; strengthen.
–
To Comfort
, Console
, Solace
. These verbs all suppose some antecedent state of suffering or sorrow. Console is confined to the act giving sympathetic relief to the mind under affliction or sorrow, and points to some definite source of that relief; as, the presence of his friend consoled him; he was much consoled by this intelligence. The act of consoling commonly implies the inculcation of resignation. Comfort points to relief afforded by the communication of positive pleasure, hope, and strength, as well as by the diminution of pain; as, “They brought the young man alive, and were not a little comforted.” Acts xx. 12.
Solace is from L. solacium, which means according to Dumesnil, consolation inwardly felt or applied to the case of the sufferer. Hence, the verb to solace denotes the using of things for the purpose of affording relief under sorrow or suffering; as, to solace one's self with reflections, with books, or with active employments. Com′fort
,Noun.
[OF.
confort
, fr. conforter
.] 1.
Assistance; relief; support.
[Obs. except in the phrase “aid and comfort.” See 5 below.]
Shak.
2.
Encouragement; solace; consolation in trouble; also, that which affords consolation.
In
comfort
of her mother's fears. Shakespeare
Cheer thy spirit with this
comfort
. Shakespeare
Speaking words of endearment where words of
comfort
availed not. Longfellow.
3.
A state of quiet enjoyment; freedom from pain, want, or anxiety; also, whatever contributes to such a condition.
I had much joy and
comfort
in thy love. Phil. 7 (Rev. Ver.).
He had the means of living in
comfort
. Macaulay.
4.
A wadded bedquilt; a comfortable.
[U. S.]
Syn. –
Comfort
, Consolation
. Comfort has two meanings:
1.
Strength and relief received under affliction; 2.
Positive enjoyment, of a quiet, permanent nature, together with the sources thereof; as, the comfort of love; surrounded with comforts; but it is with the former only that the word consolation is brought into comparison. As thus compared, consolation points to some specific source of relief for the afflicted mind; as, the consolations of religion. Comfort supposes the relief to be afforded by imparting positive enjoyment, as well as a diminution of pain. “Consolation, or comfort, signifies some alleviation to that pain to which it is not in our power to afford the proper and adequate remedy; they imply rather an augmentation of the power of bearing, than a diminution of the burden.” Johnson.
Webster 1828 Edition
Comfort
COMFORT
, v.t.1.
To strengthen; to invigorate; to cheer or enliven.Light excelleth in comforting the spirits of men.
Comfort ye your hearts. Gen. 18.
2.
To strengthen the mind when depressed or enfeebled; to console; to give new vigor to the spirits; to cheer, or relieve from depression, or trouble.His friends came to mourn with him and to comfort him. Job. 2.
3.
In law, to relieve, assist or encourage, as the accessory to a crime after the fact.COMFORT
, n.1.
Relief from pain; ease; rest or moderate pleasure after pain, cold or distress or uneasiness of body. The word signifies properly new strength, or animation; and relief from pain is often the effect of strength. In a popular sense, the word signifies rather negatively the absence of pain and the consequent quiet, than positive animation.2.
Relief from distress of mind; the ease and quiet which is experienced when pain, trouble, agitation or affliction ceases. It implies also some degree of positive animation of the spirits; or some pleasurable sensations derived from hope, and agreeable prospects; consolation.Let me alone, that I may take comfort a little. Job 10.
Daughter, be of good comfort; thy faith hath made thee whole. Matt. 9.
3.
Support; consolation under calamity, distress or danger.Let thy merciful kindness be for my comfort. Ps. 119.
4.
That which gives strength or support in distress, difficulty, danger, or infirmity.Pious children are the comfort of their aged parents.
5.
In law, support; assistance; countenance; encouragement; as, an accessory affords aid or comfort to a felon.6.
That which gives security from want and furnishes moderate enjoyment; as the comforts of life.Definition 2024
comfort
comfort
English
Noun
comfort (plural comforts)
- Contentment, ease.
- Sleep in comfort with our new mattress.
- Something that offers comfort.
- the comforts of home
- A consolation; something relieving suffering or worry.
- We still have the spare tire? That's a comfort at least.
- A cause of relief or satisfaction.
- The outcome of the peace negotiations in Moscow in 1940 was a heavy blow to the young nation, but in the same time a great comfort: at least the independency was preserved.
Synonyms
Antonyms
- (contentment, ease): austerity
Translations
contentment, ease
|
|
consolation
|
cause of relief or satisfaction
Verb
comfort (third-person singular simple present comforts, present participle comforting, simple past and past participle comforted)
- (transitive) To relieve the distress or suffering of; to provide comfort to.
- Rob comforted Aaron because he was lost and very sad.
- Francis Bacon
- Light excelleth in comforting the spirits of men.
- (transitive) To make comfortable. (Can we add an example for this sense?)
- (obsolete) To make strong; to invigorate; to fortify; to corroborate.
- (Can we find and add a quotation of Wyclif to this entry?)
- Hooker
- God's own testimony […] doth not a little comfort and confirm the same.
- (obsolete) To assist or help; to aid.
- Shakespeare
- I […] cannot help the noble chevalier: / God comfort him in this necessity!
- Shakespeare
Synonyms
Translations
to provide comfort
|
|
to make comfortable
console — see console
Derived terms
Terms derived from the noun or verb "comfort"
Dutch
Pronunciation
Noun
comfort n (plural comforts, diminutive comfortje n)
- Physical comfort, ease