Comfort,

7 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Comfort \Com"fort\, n. [OF. confort, fr. conforter.]
     1. Assistance; relief; support. [Obs. except in the phrase
        "aid and comfort." See 5 below.] --Shak.
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     2. Encouragement; solace; consolation in trouble; also, that


        which affords consolation.
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              In comfort of her mother's fears.     --Shak.
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              Cheer thy spirit with this comfort.   --Shak.
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              Speaking words of endearment where words of comfort
              availed not.                          --Longfellow.
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     3. A state of quiet enjoyment; freedom from pain, want, or
        anxiety; also, whatever contributes to such a condition.
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              I had much joy and comfort in thy love. --Phil. 7
                                                    (Rev. Ver.).
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              He had the means of living in comfort. --Macaulay.
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     4. A wadded bedquilt; a comfortable. [U. S.]
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     5. (Law) Unlawful support, countenance, or encouragement; as,
        to give aid and comfort to the enemy.
  
     Syn: {Comfort}, {Consolation}.
  
     Usage: Comfort has two meanings:
  
     1. Strength and relief received under affliction;
  
     2. Positive enjoyment, of a quiet, permanent nature, together
        with the sources thereof; as, the comfort of love;
        surrounded with comforts; but it is with the former only
        that the word consolation is brought into comparison. As
        thus compared, consolation points to some specific source
        of relief for the afflicted mind; as, the consolations of
        religion. Comfort supposes the relief to be afforded by
        imparting positive enjoyment, as well as a diminution of
        pain. "Consolation, or comfort, signifies some alleviation
        to that pain to which it is not in our power to afford the
        proper and adequate remedy; they imply rather an
        augmentation of the power of bearing, than a diminution of
        the burden." --Johnson.
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From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Comfort \Com"fort\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Comforted}; p. pr. &
     vb. n. {Comforting.}] [F. conforter, fr. L. confortare to
     strengthen much; con- + fortis strong. See {Fort}.]
     1. To make strong; to invigorate; to fortify; to corroborate.
        [Obs.] --Wyclif.
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              God's own testimony . . . doth not a little comfort
              and confirm the same.                 --Hooker.
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     2. To assist or help; to aid. [Obs.]
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              I . . . can not help the noble chevalier:
              God comfort him in this necessity!    --Shak.
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     3. To impart strength and hope to; to encourage; to relieve;
        to console; to cheer.
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              Light excelleth in comforting the spirits of men.
                                                    --Bacon.
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              That we may be able to comfort them that are in any
              affliction.                           --2 Cor. i. 4
                                                    (Rev. Ver.).
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              A perfect woman, nobly planned,
              To warn, to comfort, and command.     --Wordsworth.
  
     Syn: To cheer; solace; console; revive; encourage; enliven;
          invigorate; inspirit; gladden; recreate; exhilarate;
          refresh; animate; confirm; strengthen.
  
     Usage: {To Comfort}, {Console}, {Solace}. These verbs all
            suppose some antecedent state of suffering or sorrow.
            Console is confined to the act giving sympathetic
            relief to the mind under affliction or sorrow, and
            points to some definite source of that relief; as, the
            presence of his friend consoled him; he was much
            consoled by this intelligence. The act of consoling
            commonly implies the inculcation of resignation.
            Comfort points to relief afforded by the communication
            of positive pleasure, hope, and strength, as well as
            by the diminution of pain; as, "They brought the young
            man alive, and were not a little comforted." --Acts
            xx. 12. Solace is from L. solacium, which means
            according to Dumesnil, consolation inwardly felt or
            applied to the case of the sufferer. Hence, the verb
            to solace denotes the using of things for the purpose
            of affording relief under sorrow or suffering; as, to
            solace one's self with reflections, with books, or
            with active employments.
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From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  comfort
       n 1: a state of being relaxed and feeling no pain; "he is a man
            who enjoys his comfort"; "she longed for the
            comfortableness of her armchair" [syn: {comfortableness}]
            [ant: {discomfort}]
       2: a feeling of freedom from worry or disappointment
       3: the act of consoling; giving relief in affliction; "his
          presence was a consolation to her" [syn: {consolation}, {solace}]
       4: a freedom from financial difficulty that promotes a
          comfortable state; "a life of luxury and ease"; "he had
          all the material comforts of this world" [syn: {ease}]
       v 1: give moral or emotional strength to [syn: {soothe}, {console},
             {solace}]
       2: lessen pain or discomfort; alleviate; "ease the pain in your
          legs" [syn: {ease}]

From Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0 [moby-thes]:

  227 Moby Thesaurus words for "comfort":
     Easy Street, abet, abundance, acceptance, advocate, affluence,
     afghan, aid, aid and abet, aid and comfort, allay, alleviate,
     amusement, animal pleasure, assist, assistance, assuage, assurance,
     assure, avail, bail out, balm, bear a hand, bear up, bed linen,
     bed of roses, bedclothes, bedcover, bedding, bedsheet, bedspread,
     befriend, benefit, blanket, bodily pleasure, brighten, buck up,
     buffalo robe, carnal delight, case, cheer, clothes, clover,
     comforter, commiserate, commiseration, composure, condole,
     condole with, condolement, condolence, consolation, console,
     content, contentedness, contentment, contour sheet, convenience,
     countenance, counterpane, cover, coverlet, coverlid, coziness,
     creature comforts, do good, doctor, ease, easement,
     easy circumstances, eiderdown, embolden, encourage, encouragement,
     endorse, endpleasure, enjoyment, entertainment,
     entire satisfaction, euphoria, express sympathy for, facility,
     favor, feel with, felicity, fitted sheet, fleshpots, forepleasure,
     fruition, fulfillment, fun, give a boost, give a hand, give a lift,
     give comfort, give help, gladden, go for, good offices,
     gracious life, gracious living, gratification, great satisfaction,
     grieve for, grieve with, gusto, hand, happiness, hearten,
     hearty enjoyment, help, inactivity, intellectual pleasure,
     joie de vivre, keen pleasure, keep in countenance, kicks,
     lap of luxury, lap robe, lend a hand, lend one aid, life of ease,
     lift, lighten, linen, loaves and fishes, luxury, ministration,
     ministry, mitigate, office, offices, opulence, patchwork quilt,
     peace of mind, physical pleasure, pillow slip, pillowcase,
     pleasure, plenty, proffer aid, prosperity, prosperousness, protect,
     protection, put at ease, quiet, quiet pleasure, quilt, rally,
     reassurance, reassure, reclaim, reconcilement, reconciliation,
     redeem, refresh, relaxation, relief, relieve, relish, remedy,
     render assistance, renew, repose, rescue, resignation, rest,
     restfulness, restore, resuscitate, revive, robe, rug, satisfaction,
     save, security, self-gratification, self-indulgence,
     sensual pleasure, sensuous pleasure, service, set at ease, set up,
     sexual pleasure, sharing of grief, sheet, sheeting, shine upon,
     shred of comfort, sleep, slip, smile upon, solace, solacement,
     soothe, soothing words, sorrow with, speak soothing words, spread,
     subscribe, success, succor, support, sweetness of life, sympathize,
     sympathize with, sympathy, take in tow, the affluent life,
     the good life, therapy, thriving condition, titillation,
     tranquillity, unbuttoned ease, upraise, upward mobility, velvet,
     voluptuousness, weal, wealth, weep for, weep with, welfare,
     well-being, zest
  
  

From THE DEVIL'S DICTIONARY ((C)1911 Released April 15 1993) [devils]:

  COMFORT, n.  A state of mind produced by contemplation of a neighbor's
  uneasiness.
  
  

From U.S. Gazetteer (1990) [gazetteer]:

  Comfort, TX (CDP, FIPS 16228)
    Location: 29.97233 N, 98.90281 W
    Population (1990): 1477 (646 housing units)
    Area: 8.3 sq km (land), 0.0 sq km (water)
    Zip code(s): 78013
  Comfort, WV
    Zip code(s): 25049

From U.S. Gazetteer Places (2000) [gaz-place]:

  Comfort, TX -- U.S. Census Designated Place in Texas
     Population (2000):    2358
     Housing Units (2000): 917
     Land area (2000):     3.205519 sq. miles (8.302256 sq. km)
     Water area (2000):    0.014612 sq. miles (0.037845 sq. km)
     Total area (2000):    3.220131 sq. miles (8.340101 sq. km)
     FIPS code:            16228
     Located within:       Texas (TX), FIPS 48
     Location:             29.969566 N, 98.907087 W
     ZIP Codes (1990):     78013
     Note: some ZIP codes may be omitted esp. for suburbs.
     Headwords:
      Comfort, TX
      Comfort