allay

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allay †lay aside OE.; put down, repress; appease, assuage XIV; dilute, temper XV; mitigate XVII. OE. āleċġan, ME. aleggen, superseded by aleien, alay (see A-2, LAY1). The sense-development has been infl. by formal assoc. with OF. alegier lighten (see ALLEVIATE) and aleier, aloier temper, qualify (see ALLOY).

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