[a. F. console-r (15th c. in Littré) (= Sp. consolar, It. consolare), ad. L. consōlāre, collateral form of consōlārī, f. con- + sōlārī to solace, soothe. A late word which has taken the place of the earlier CONSOLATE.]
trans. To comfort in mental distress or depression; to alleviate the sorrow of (any one); ‘to free from the sense of misery’ (J.).
1693. Dryden, Juvenal, X. Till I, thy consul sole, consol’d thy doom.
1742. Pope, Dunc., IV. 542. Others the Syren Sisters warble round, And empty heads console with empty sound.
1761. J. Dewes, in Mrs. Delany’s Corr., 8 July. I am but poorly qualified at present to console you upon the great loss you have sustained.
1794. Hurd, Life Warburton, in W.’s Wks. (1811), I. 23. Mr. Pope … consoled himself and his friend with this sarcastic reflexion.
1871. R. F. Weymouth, Euph., 8. Euphues seeks to console Eubulus on the death of his daughter.
absol. 1821. Shelley, Prometh. Unb., I. 820. Earth can console, Heaven can torment no more.
