lyseren

Lyseren is a Dutch verb meaning to calm or soothe, often used to describe the reduction of excitement, tension, or unrest in people or animals. While it implies a calming or sedating effect, it is not the name of a specific drug. The term is most common in formal, medical, or veterinary language, and is less frequent in everyday speech where kalmeren or bedaren may be preferred.

Etymology and history: The exact origin of lyseren is not entirely clear. It appears in older medical texts and has continued in modern Dutch in limited contexts.

Usage: Lyseren is typically transitive, used with a direct object representing the target of the calming effect (a patient, an animal, or a situation). It can refer to physical relaxation or to easing mental or emotional states, for example, the procedure was designed to lyseren the patient’s nerves.

Differences: While related to kalmeren (to calm), bedaren (to quiet), or verdoven (to anesthetize), lyseren carries a nuance of controlled, measured calming rather than mere relief of immediate distress. It is not a general term for all sedation.

See also: Kalmeren; Bedaren; Verdoven; Sederen; Verdoving; Dierverzorging.