Mit'i-gāte, v. t.
v. t. [imp. & p. p. MITIGATED; p. pr. & vb. n. MITIGATING.] [Lat. mitigare, mitigatum, from mitis, mild, soft; It. mitigare, Sp. & Pr. mitigar, Fr. mitiger.]
Sense 1. To soften, or make mild and accessible. [Obs.] It was this opinion which mitigated kings into companions. Burke.
Sense 2. To alleviate, as suffering; to assuage; to lessen; as, to mitigate pain or grief.
Sense 3. To make less rigorous; to moderate; to soften in severity or harshness; to temper; as, to mitigate cold; to mitigate the severity of the season. We could wish that the rigor of their opinions were allayed and mitigated. Hooker.
Sense 4. To render more tolerable; to diminish the severity of; as, to mitigate the evils or calamities of life; to mitigate punishment.
Sense 5. To reduce in amount or severity, as a penalty.
Synonyms—To alleviate; assuage; allay; temper; calm. See ALLEVIATE.—To MITIGATE, ASSUAGE. These words agree in marking a diminution in respect to violence or pain. He who mitigates relaxes in respect to harshness; he who assuages is active in lessening the pain of others. A judge mitigates a sentence; friends assuage our afflictions. The same distinction prevails when these terms are more widely applied.
Mishaps are mastered by advice discreet, And counsel mitigates the greatest smart. Spenser.
Refreshing winds the summer's heat assuage, And kindly warmth disarms the winter's rage. Addison.
Yet is his hate, his rancor ne'er the less, Since naught assuageth malice when 'tis told. Fairfax.