From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
Pacify \Pac"i*fy\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Pacified}; p. pr. & vb.
n. {Pacifying}.] [F. pacifier, L. pacificare; pax, pacis,
peace + -ficare (in comp.) to make. See {Peace}, and {-fy}.]
To make to be at peace; to appease; to calm; to still; to
quiet; to allay the agitation, excitement, or resentment of;
to tranquillize; as, to pacify a man when angry; to pacify
pride, appetite, or importunity. "Pray ye, pacify yourself."
--Shak.
Syn: lenify, assuage, appease, mollify, placate, gentle,
gruntle.
[1913 Webster + WordNet 1.5]
To pacify and settle those countries. --Bacon.
[1913 Webster]
From WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006) [wn]:
pacify
v 1: cause to be more favorably inclined; gain the good will of;
"She managed to mollify the angry customer" [syn: {pacify},
{lenify}, {conciliate}, {assuage}, {appease}, {mollify},
{placate}, {gentle}, {gruntle}]
2: fight violence and try to establish peace in (a location);
"The U.N. troops are working to pacify Bosnia"
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