pacify
v. C1 Advanced US //ˈpæsəˌfaɪ// UK //pˈæsɪfˌaɪ// paci·fy
v. to make someone stop being angry or upset. You use this when you want to calm a person or a situation down.
v. to act in a way that causes someone to stop being angry or violent. Transitive — requires a direct object, typically a person or a group.
The nurse tried to pacify the crying baby with a soft toy.
The manager had to pacify the angry customers by offering them a full refund and a gift card.
Diplomats worked for weeks to pacify the regional tensions, eventually securing a ceasefire that allowed humanitarian aid to reach the affected population.
From Middle French pacifier, from Latin pāx (“peace”) + faciō (“I do, make”). Cognate with pay and peacify.