soothed

Soothed is the simple past tense and past participle of the verb soothe. It describes the action of gently calming or relieving distress, discomfort, or pain in a person, animal, or situation. In use, soothed often indicates that something was made calmer or more comfortable as a result of an action or intervention.

Etymology and forms: The verb soothe has Old English roots and a long history in English. Soothed is formed by adding the conventional -ed ending to the base form. It appears in simple past tense ("She soothed the baby") and in perfect constructions ("The mother has soothed the baby"). As an adjective, "soothed" can describe a state that has been calmed, though the present participle "soothing" is more common in many contexts.

Usage notes and examples: Soothed commonly takes a direct object: "The nurse soothed the patient with quiet words." It can also describe conditions improved by action: "His nerves were soothed after the explanation." The term should not be confused with sooth, a noun meaning truth or reality in archaic or literary usage. Related forms include soothing (the present participle or adjective) and soothe as the base verb.

See also: soothe, soothing, soothing techniques, calming.