PROPITIATE

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does propitiate mean? 

• PROPITIATE (verb)
  The verb PROPITIATE has 1 sense:

1. make peace with

  Familiarity information: PROPITIATE used as a verb is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• PROPITIATE (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they propitiate    ... he / she / it propitiates   
Past simple: propitiated   
Past participle: propitiated   
-ing form: propitiating   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Make peace with

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Synonyms:

appease; propitiate

Hypernyms (to "propitiate" is one way to...):

conciliate; make up; patch up; reconcile; settle (come to terms)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s somebody

Derivation:

propitiation (the act of placating and overcoming distrust and animosity)

propitiative; propitiatory (intended to reconcile or appease)

 Context examples 

Him Von Schmidt desired to please and propitiate because from him could be obtained the Oakland agency for the bicycle.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

The true voodoo-worshipper attempts nothing of importance without certain sacrifices which are intended to propitiate his unclean gods.

(His Last Bow, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Your manner, which I must say does not seem intended to propitiate, induces me to think it possible.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

Especially I felt this when I made any attempt to propitiate him.

(Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë)

I like old Sam so well, I think I'll try the second volume, returned Jo, hoping to propitiate him by accepting a second dose of Boswell's Johnson, as he had recommended that lively work.

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)

As I drew nearer to them, trying to propitiate the tinker by my looks, I observed that the woman had a black eye.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)