palliate

To make a disease or its symptoms less severe without eliminating the cause; to make something bad seem less serious.

• palliative/ˈpæliətɪv/(adj/n)缓解性的/姑息疗法
• palliation/ˌpæliˈeɪʃən/(n)缓解

• palliate symptoms
• palliative care
• palliate the effects
• palliate one's guilt

1. 1.The medication palliates the pain but does not cure the underlying condition. (lessens without curing)
2. 2.Nothing could palliate the seriousness of what he had done — his excuses only made it worse. (make seem less bad)

• alleviate/əˈliːvieɪt/— make less severe
• mitigate/ˈmɪtɪɡeɪt/— make less harsh
• soothe/suːð/— ease pain

from Latin "palliare" = to cloak — "pallium" = cloak — to cover up, to disguise the severity