solace English · revision 921

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ˈsɑ.lɪs/; /ˈsɒl.ɪs/ ''(UK)''^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|enm|solas]], [[bor|fro|solaz|t=comfort; pleasure]],^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU) [[der|la|sōlācium|t=comfort, consolation]],^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU) from ''sōlārī'' “to console, soothe”.^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU) It is related to [[console]].^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Comfort, consolation, relief of sorrow or distress (c. 1290);^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline) the verb “to comfort, cheer” dates from about 1280–97.^(Barnhart 1995)^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ In Middle English ''solace'' also meant pleasure, entertainment or amusement (1297), a sense now obsolete,^(OED 1989)^(Etymonline) and ''to make solace'' could mean to enjoy oneself sexually.^(Etymonline) The Old French verb often had a sexual connotation as well.^(Etymonline) The sense “that which gives comfort” is as old as the main sense (c. 1290).^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 1280 – verb, to comfort, console.^(Barnhart 1995)

+ * c. 1290 – noun, comfort; a source of comfort.^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1995)

+ * 1297 – pleasure, amusement (obsolete).^(OED 1989)

+ * 1667 – verb, to allay or soothe (grief).^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # Comfort in sorrow, misfortune or distress; [[consolation]].^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+ # A source of comfort or relief.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ===Verb===

+ # To comfort, cheer or [[console]].^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+ # To allay or soothe, as in ''solace grief''.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[solacer]]

+ * [[solacement]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[console]]

+ * [[consolation]]

+ * [[comfort]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}