abate, adjust to, allay, alleviate, alter, anesthetize, appease, attemper, bank the fire, benumb, blunt, box in, chasten, circumscribe, condition, constrain, control, cushion, damp, dampen, de-emphasize, deaden, deaden the pain, diminish, downplay, dull, ease, ease matters, extenuate, feast, feed, foment, give relief, gratify, hedge, hedge about, keep within bounds, lay, leaven, lenify, lessen, lighten, limit, lull, mitigate, moderate, modify, modulate, mollify, narrow, numb, obtund, pad, palliate, play down, poultice, pour balm into, pour oil on, qualify, quench, reduce, reduce the temperature, regale, regulate by, relieve, restrain, restrict, salve, sate, satiate, satisfy, season, set conditions, set limits, slacken, slake, slow down, smother, sober, sober down, soften, soothe, stifle, stupe, subdue, suppress, tame, temper, tone down, tune down, underplay, weaken