▪ I. comfort, v.
(ˈkʌmfət)
Forms: 3 conforti, 3–4 comforti, 3–5 conforte, 4 cumfort(e, conford, comfortie, -tye, coumforte(n, cowmforte, 4–5 cumforth(e, counfort(e, comford(e, 4–6 comforth(e, comforte, confort, 5 comfford, 4– comfort. (pa. tense comforted: in 4–5 comfort, 4 -forth, cumfort, confort, 5 comferd, cumfurth; pa. tense and pple. 5 comford.)
[a. OF. cun-, conforter (= Pr., Sp., It. confortar):—L. confortāre to strengthen, f. con- intensive + fort-is strong. (Used by Macer, ‘confortat stomachum’; frequent in Itala and Vulgate; for form, cf. aggravāre.) The phonetic change of con- to com- is English.]
† 1. trans. To strengthen (morally or spiritually); to encourage, hearten, inspirit, incite. Obs.
| c 1290 Lives Saints (1887) 80 He [St. Matthew] prechede..And confortede þat clene maide..Euere þis guode man hire bi-souȝte þat heo clene lijf ladde. 1297 R. Glouc. (Rolls) 2929 Þe king aurely is felawes confortede to fiȝte. a 1300 Cursor M. 15527 (Cott.) Petre, comforth breþer þin quen i am ledd yow fra. Ibid. 21392 (Cott.) Constantine, luc vp.. Til heuenward, and cumforth þe. 1382 Wyclif Luke i. 80 The child wexed, and was counfortid in spirit. c 1420 Anturs of Arth. iv, Thay kest of hor cowpullus..Cumfordun hor kenettes. 1535 Coverdale 2 Sam. ii. 7 Let youre hande now therfore be comforted, and be ye stronge. 1674 N. Cox Gentl. Recreat. i. (1706) 18 The Call, a Lesson blowed on the Horn to comfort the Hounds. |
† b. In a bad sense: To encourage in, or to, that which is evil. Obs. (Cf. next sense.)
| 1362 Langl. P. Pl. A. ii. 121 From care to counforte the false. c 1380 Wyclif Sel. Wks. III. 328 Not to coumforte hem in here synne. 1521–32 J. Longland in Ellis Orig. Lett. iii. 95 I. 248 Comfortyng erronyous persons in ther opynyons. 1530 Rastell Bk. Purgat. ii. viii, It shuld confort a man to lyve vycyously. |
† 2. To lend support or countenance to; to support, assist, aid; to abet, countenance, ‘back up’. Formerly common in legal use.
| 1375 Barbour Bruce v. 178 Feill siss confort scho the kyng Bath with siluer and vith met. 1481 Caxton Myrr. i. v. 26 For to amasse and gadre alway money wherin the deuyl conforteth hem. 1568 Grafton Chron. II. 74 As touchyng the death of the aforesaid Becket, to the which he sware that he was neither ayding nor comfortyng. 1641 Termes de la Ley 2 Abbettors in murders are those that command, procure, counsell, or comfort others to murder. 1726 Ayliffe Parerg. 8 Guilty of comforting and assisting the Rebels. |
† 3. To strengthen (physically), support; to make fast, secure. Obs. rare.
| 1382 Wyclif Isa. xli. 7 He coumfortide hym with nailes that it shulde not be moued. ― Ps. cxlvii. 13 He coumfortede the lockis of thi ȝatis. 1523–5 Ld. Berners Froiss. I. 629 The other two were as wynges, to comfort the bataylles, if nede requyred. 1605 Bacon Adv. Learn. ii, To the King §3 Water doth scatter itself..except it be collected into some receptacle where it may by union comfort and sustain itself. |
† b. fig. To confirm, corroborate. Obs. rare.
| 1594 Hooker Eccl. Pol. i. xii, The euidence..doth not a little comforte and confirme the same [laws]. 1603 Florio Montaigne ii. xii. (1632) 302 Every one..patcheth up and comforteth this received beliefe. |
† 4. To strengthen (the bodily faculties, organs, etc.); to invigorate, refresh. Obs.
Some of the later quots. lead on to sense 8.
| 1303 R. Brunne Handl. Synne 6996 Anoun cumfortede was Troyle so weyle Þat hys sykenes he forgate. 1382 Wyclif Acts ix. 19 Whanne he hadde takun mete he was comfortid. 14.. Med. MS. in Archæol. XXX. 364 Jows of betonye..Counfortyth ye herynge. 1460–70 Bk. Quintessence ii. iv. 16 To comforte þe joynctis. 1541 R. Copland Guydon's Formul. Y j, The water of M. Peter of spayne, that conforteth and clereth the syght. 1578 Lyte Dodoens i. xxvii. 40 It comforteth the memory very much. 1637 Blunt Voy. Levant 105 [Coffee] comforteth the braine. 1671 Salmon Syn. Med. iii. xxii. 402 Goosbery bush—the ripe berries..comfort the stomach. 1725 Lond. Gaz. No. 6349/2 A Clyster to comfort the Bowels. |
† 5. To minister delight or pleasure to; to gladden, cheer, please, entertain. Also fig. Obs.
| 1303 R. Brunne Handl. Synne 4760 Anoþer poynt cumforteþ me Þat God haþ sent vnto a tre So moche ioye to here wyþ eere. 1393 Langl. P. Pl. C. xvi. 194 Ich am a mynstral..alle peuple to comfortye. c 1440 Generydes 76 Yow to counfort is holy myn entente, This howse is all atte your comaundement. 1578 Lyte Dodoens iii. lxviii. 409 Reu of the wal is..found.. upon all olde walles that are moyst, and not comforted or lightned with the shining of the sonne. 1601 Shakes. Jul. C. ii. i. 284. 1612 Drayton Poly-olb. viii. Notes 129 Britanie was comforted with wholsome beames of religious light. |
† 6. To minister relief to; to relieve, assist (in sickness, affliction, etc.). Obs.
| 1389 in Eng. Gilds (1870) 50 He shal comyn and vesyten hym [in prison], and comfordyn hym in his powere. 1393 Langl. P. Pl. C. x. 97 Almes..to comfortie such cotyers and crokede men and blynde. 1529 Frith Antithesis §17 Christ came to seeke the poore & comfort them. 1611 Shakes. Wint. T. ii. iii. 56 In comforting your Euilles. 1798 Wordsw. Idiot Boy lv, She quite forgot to send the Doctor To comfort poor old Susan Gale. |
7. To soothe in grief or trouble; to relieve of mental distress; to console, solace. (The ordinary current sense.)
| 1297 R. Glouc. (Rolls) 4204 Bedwer bigan to conforti þe womman..& bihet hire bote of hire wo. c 1350 Will. Palerne 1512 Sche hire fader cumfort fast as sche miȝt. c 1386 Chaucer Frankl. T. 95 Hire frendes whiche þat knewe hire heuy þouht Comforten hire. c 1430 Syr Gener. (Roxb.) 8713, I drede me that she wil dey The soner, but she counforted be Of thes tithinges. 1592 Shakes. Rom. & Jul. iii. v. 230 Thou has't comforted me marue'lous much. 1641 J. Jackson True Evang. T. i. 38 To comfort the afflicted state of Christians. 1749 Fielding Tom Jones vi. xiii, I thought it would have comforted your la'ship. 1872 Geo. Eliot Middlem. lxxviii, That look of misery would have been a pang to him, and he would have sunk by her side to comfort her. 1884 W. C. Smith Kildrostan 54 It might comfort him to know our bliss. |
† b. with up. Obs. rare. (Cf. cheer up.)
| 1603 Knolles Hist. Turks 289 Had not Cali Bassa by his grave advice comforted up his dying spirits. |
c. refl.
| a 1300 Cursor M. 24246 (Cott.) Nu comforth þe..And werp awai þi wepe. c 1440 Ipomydon 513 Thus she comfortyde hyr amonge, And efte she felle in mornynge stronge. 1754 Richardson Grandison 13 Mar. (2nd year), She comforted herself, that Sir Charles would be able to soften their resentments. 1856 Froude Hist. Eng. (1858) II. ix. 309 They comforted themselves with the hope that, etc. |
d. The passive is often used in sense ‘to accept comfort’, ‘to take comfort’.
| 1382 Wyclif Isa. xl. 1 Beth coumfortid, ȝee my puple. 1611 Bible Jer. xxxi. 15 Rahel weeping for her children, refused to be comforted. 1860 Geo. Eliot Mill on Fl. vii. iv, Maggie dear, be comforted—don't grieve. |
† e. intr. (for refl.) To take comfort. Obs. rare. (Cf. comfort n. 9.)
| 1600 Shakes. A.Y.L. ii. vi. 5 Liue a little, comfort a little, cheere thy selfe a little. |
8. trans. To bring into a comfortable state (of body and feelings), allay physical discomfort, make comfortable.
(App. only of modern use: the earlier quots. merely lead towards it. Cf. also 1671, 1725, in 4.)
| [? a 1400 Morte Arth. 944 Caughte of þe colde wynde to comforthe hym seluene. 1595 Shakes. John v. vii. 41 Intreat the North To make his bleake windes kisse my parched lips, And comfort me with cold. 1862 Ruskin Munera P. (1880) 6 Things which serve..to sustain and comfort the body.] 1884 M. E. Braddon Ishmael xv, Refreshed by the coffee and comforted by the warmth of the stove. Mod. Advt. A grateful and comforting beverage. |
▪ II. comfort, n.
(ˈkʌmfət)
Forms: 3 cun-, kunfort, 3–4 cumfort, 3–6 confort(e, 4 cumforte, -ford, conforth, -forþ, -fforte, counfort, comfortd, 4–5 coumforde, 4–6 cumforth, coumfort(e, comforth(e, -forte, 5 counforde, conford, -foorte, 5– 6 comford(e, 6 -furth, coomfort, 4– comfort.
[a. OF. cunfort, confort (11th c. in Littré) = It. and OSp. conforto, a n. app. of Romanic age, from stem of confort-āre, OF. confort-er to comfort. It took the place of OE. frofor, with which it is used indifferently in enumerating the nine urouren or ‘comforts’ against temptations, in Ancren Riwle p. 226 seq.]
† 1. a. Strengthening; encouragement, incitement; aid, succour, support, countenance. upon comfort of: on the strength of. Obs. except in archaic legal use (in phr. aid and comfort).
| a 1225 Ancr. R. 14 Of fleschliche vondunges..& kunfort aȝeines ham. [1352 Act 25 Edw. III, Stat. v. c. 2 Si home..soit aherdant as enemys nostre dit Seignour le Roi..donant a eux eid ou confort.] c 1400 Apol. Loll. 37 Þei þat consentun wiþ þe doars..or defendun, or ȝeuen conseyl or confort. 1460 J. Capgrave Chron. 275 If..thei make ony gadering in coumfort of Richard, sumtyme Kyng, thei to be punchid as tretouris. 1493 Festivall (W. de W. 1515) 153 b, He came in company of recheles people, & by comforte of them he lefte his faste and dyde ete. 1528 Gardiner in Strype Eccl. Mem. I. App. xxiv. 62 Upon comfurth of such words as his Ho. had spoken unto us. 1622 Bacon Hen. VII, The comfort that the rebels should receiue vnderhand from the Earle of Kildare. 1769 Blackstone Comm. IV. 82 If a man be adherent to the king's enemies..giving to them aid and comfort. |
† b. concr. One who or that which strengthens or supports; a support, a source of strength. Obs.
| 1455 Paston Lett. 239 I. 329 We..prey to The to be oure confort and Defender. 1577 B. Googe Heresbach's Husb. ii. (1586) 50 b, You must have a little walled hedge, to teach the springs..to climbe by, which wil be a jolly Stay and a comfort to them. |
† 2. Physical refreshment or sustenance; refreshing or invigorating influence. (Cf. comfort v. 4.)
| 1377 Langl. P. Pl. B. xi. 253 On a walnot..is a bitter barke, And after þat bitter barke..Is a kirnelle of conforte kynd to restore. 1543 Becon Invect. Swearing Wks. (1564) 212 b, They would tast..not so much as a poore alebery for the comfort of their hart. 1552 Bk. Com. Prayer, For rain, That we may receiue the fruites of the yearth to our comforte. 1611 Tourneur Ath. Trag. iii. iv, Clouds..rais'd by the Comfort of The Sunne to water dry and barren grounds. |
| concr. 1631 Markham Weald of Kent ii. i (1668) 2 Holpen by some manner of comfort, as dung, marl, fresh earth..or such other refreshings. |
† 3. Pleasure, enjoyment, delight, gladness. Obs.
| c 1230 Hali Meid. 27 Hare confort & hare delit hwerin is hit al? c 1386 Chaucer Prol. 773 Conforte ne myrthe is non To riden by þe wey dombe as a stone. a 1400–50 Alexander 8 Sum..has comforth to carpe..Of curtaissy of knyȝthode, of craftis of armys. 1568 Grafton Chron. II. 380 When these Justes had continued{ddd}xxiiij. dayes, to the great joye and comforte of the young lustie Bachelers. |
† 4. Relief or aid in want, pain, sickness, etc. Obs. (Cf. comfort v. 6.)
| a 1340 Hampole Psalter cxlvi. 3 His byndyngis is þe sacramentis in þe whilke we hafe comforth til we perfytly be hale. c 1400 Rom. Rose 6508 Lete bere hem [beggers] to the spitel anoon, But, for me, comfort gete they noon. 1568 Grafton Chron. II. 132 Many came vnto the Citie, and nere thereabout for comfort of victuall. 1570 Ane Tragedie in Sc. Poems 16th C. II. 234 To gif the wedow and fatherles confort. 1647 Cowley Mistr., Despair, No comfort to my wounded sight, In the Suns busie and impert'nent Light. |
5. a. Relief or support in mental distress or affliction; consolation, solace, soothing. (In later use sometimes expressing little more than the production of mental satisfaction and restfulness.)
| a 1225 Ancr. R. 178 No gostlich cumfort ne mei hire gledien. c 1386 Chaucer Frankl. T. 98 Euery comfort possible..They doon to hure..to make hure late her heuynesse. c 1440 Gesta Rom. v. 13 (Harl. MS.) Make me solas and comfort, and chere me. 1593 Drayton Eclog. x. 73 None else there is gives comfort to my griefe. 1605 Shakes. Lear iv. i. 17 Thy comforts can do me no good at all. 1611 ― Wint. T. v. iii. 1 The great comfort That I haue had of thee. 1749 Fielding Tom Jones vi. xii, I wish I had any comfort to send you. 1752 ― Amelia iii. iv, Others applying for comfort to strong liquors. 1800 Wordsw. Michael 448 There is a comfort in the strength of love. c 1800 Nelson in Nicolas Disp. (1845) I. 2 Thus..I became confident..amongst rocks and sands, which has..since been of the greatest comfort to me. 1884 M. E. Braddon Ishmael xli, Such comfort as the Church can give to the remorseful sinner. |
b. subjectively. The feeling of consolation or mental relief; the state of being consoled.
| 1340 Hampole Pr. Consc. 2508 Comfort of gud hope may he fele, Þat here lyves wele, to fare wele. c 1394 P. Pl. Crede 99 My purpos is i-failed, Now is my counfort a-cast! 1592 Shakes. Rom. & Jul. iii. iii. 165 How well my comfort is reuiu'd by this. 1876 Geo. Eliot Dan. Der. lxviii, She had..a sense of solemn comfort. |
c. transf. A person or thing that affords consolation; a source or means of comfort.
| c 1386 Chaucer Moder of God 15 Benigne confort of us wrecches all. 1465 Marg. Paston in Lett. II. 187 He hath ben a grete comfort to me. 1605 T. Playfere 9 Serm. (1612) 188 A treasure of comforts gathered out of the olde and new Testament. 1611 Bible Col. iv. 11 My fellow workers..which haue beene a comfort vnto me. 1847 H. F. Lyte Hymn ‘Abide with me’ i, When other helpers fail and comforts flee. 1856 Miss Mulock J. Halifax v, Growing up to be a help and comfort to my father. |
d. In weaker sense: A cause or matter of satisfaction or relief; a comforting fact or reflection. Chiefly colloq. in the phrases ‘it is a comfort to do’, ‘it is some comfort that’, etc.
| 1553 in E. Lodge Illust. Brit. Hist. (1791) I. 160 It was a great comforte to him to perceyve in the Kings yong years soch a consideracion of the public weal. 1641 Ld. Strafford Sp. on Scaffold in Hist. Eng. (1702) II. 225 It is a great comfort to me that his Majesty believes I do not deserve so heavy a punishment. 1749 Fielding Tom Jones v. viii, One comfort is, they will be all known. 1825 Scott Jrnl. 18 Dec. in Lockhart, Nobody..can lose a penny by me—that is one comfort. 1873 Mrs. Alexander Wooing o't xxvii, It is a comfort to be able to speak to you. |
6. a. A state of physical and material well-being, with freedom from pain and trouble, and satisfaction of bodily needs; the condition of being comfortable (see comfortable 10).
| 1814 Wordsw. Excursion 1, Their days were spent In peace and comfort. 1827 Keble Chr. Y., Morning xv, Let present Rapture, Comfort, Ease, As Heaven shall bid them, come and go. 1856 Froude Hist. Eng. (1858) I. i. 75 All industrious men could maintain themselves in comfort and prosperity. 1862 Ruskin Munera P. (1880) 2 At the cost of common health and comfort. |
b. objectively. The conditions which produce or promote such a state; the quality of being comfortable (see comfortable 7).
| 1848 Macaulay Hist. Eng. I. iii. 384 William Harrison gave a lively description of the plenty and comfort of the great hostelries. 1884 M. E. Braddon Ishmael v, Reared in the comfort and elegance of a successful artist's household. |
7. concr. A thing that produces or ministers to enjoyment and content. (Usually pl.; distinguished from necessaries on the one hand, and from luxuries on the other.) creature comforts: material comforts such as food. So home comforts.
| 1659 J. Arrowsmith Chain Princ. 58 The Scripture useth diminishing terms when it speaks of creature-comforts. 1688 Miege Fr. Dict. s.v., The Comforts of this Life. 1771 Smollett Humph. Cl. Let. 8 Oct., Very moderate in his estimate of the necessaries, and even of the comforts of life. 1775 Johnson Tax. no Tyr. 11 Before they quit the comforts of a warm home. 1855 Macaulay Hist. Eng. xiii. III. 300 A modern Englishman..finds in his shooting box all the comforts and luxuries of his club. 1860 Tyndall Glac. i. x. 66 Steeped in the creature comforts of our hotel. 1873 Mrs. Alexander Wooing o't xxi, Another..dainty apartment, supplied with every comfort. |
8. A wadded and quilted counterpane; = comforter 6 b. (U.S.)
| 1834 Southern Lit. Messenger I. 168 A lady of our party..aptly compared it to a Yankee comfort. 1847 [see comfortable n. 2 c]. 1863 Life in South II. 263 The quilted coverlets called ‘comforts’,—a wadded counterpane, in fact. 1913 G. S. Porter Laddie xi. 339 Laddie had..hung up a comfort at four o'clock to keep the Princess warm. 1945 B. A. Botkin Lay my Burden Down 112 Then a great big mattress full of goose feathers and two-three comforts as thick as my foot with carded wool inside! |
† 9. Comfort is used by Shakes. interjectionally; = Take comfort, cheer up. (Cf. comfort v. 7 e.) Also what comfort? = What cheer?
| 1593 Shakes. Rich. II, ii. i. 72 What comfort man? How ist with aged Gaunt? Ibid. iii. ii. 75 Comfort my Liege, why lookes your Grace so pale? 1611 ― Wint. T. iv. iv. 848 Comfort, good comfort: we must to the King. |
10. Phrases. to be of (good) comfort: to be of good cheer; to keep up one's heart or courage (arch.). to take († have) comfort: to accept consolation, be comforted. † to put in comfort: to encourage, cheer up, console. cold comfort: see cold a. 10.
| a 1300 Cursor M. 7818 (Cott.) Was he neuer o wers comfortd. c 1320 Seuyn Sag. (W.) 2601 Sche saide Alas!.. N'el ich..confor[t] take neuer mo. c 1325 Coer de L. 5596 To hys men hys armes he badde, And sayde..Look ye ben off comfort good! 1399 Langl. Rich. Redeles Prol. 39 To kepe him in confforte in crist and nouȝt ellis. c 1440 Generydes 38 Whanne he was sadde, to putte hym in coumfort. c 1510 Barclay Mirr. Good Mann. (1570) D v, Take confort, be of stoute courage. 1598 W. Phillips tr. Linschoten (1864) 198 Putting her in comfort, and encouraging her to follow her husband. 1599 Shakes. Much Ado iv. i. 119 Haue comfort Ladie. 1601 ― Twel. N. iii. iv. 372 You stand amaz'd, But be of comfort. 1697 W. Dampier Voy. (1698) I. ii. 16 We..bid them be of good comfort and stay till the River did fall. 1872 Geo. Eliot Middlem. lxxxiv, Take comfort: perhaps James will forgive me. |
11. Comb., as comfort-killing, comfort-seeking adjs. comfort station U.S. Genteelism, a public lavatory.
| 1593 Shakes. Lucr. 764 O comfort-killing Night, image of hell! 1865 T. F. Knox tr. Life H. Suso 70 To mortify his comfort-seeking body. 1874 L. Tollemache in Fortn. Rev. Feb. 238 Our comfortable and comfort-seeking age. [1910 Aurora (Illinois) Daily Beacon 8 Sept. 6/1 A public comfort room..would pay the city of Aurora a profit every year.] 1923 Glass (Pittsburgh Plate Glass Co.) 167 (heading) Public comfort stations. 1931 T. Wilder Long Christmas Dinner 121 Ma, where is the next comfort-station. 1947 Auden Age of Anxiety (1948) ii. 53 Ingenious George reached his journey's end Killed by a cop in a comfort station. 1957 D. Karp Leave me Alone xii. 165 Snatching Jimmy's hand she trudged across the sand with him to the comfort station. 1967 R. Shaw Man in Glass Booth xvii. 152 ‘Wash-room,’ said the old man. ‘Comfort station.’ |
Add: [11.] comfort food, food that comforts or affords solace; hence, any food (freq. with a high sugar or carbohydrate content) that is associated with childhood or with home cooking. orig. N.Amer.
| 1977 Washington Post Mag. 25 Dec. 30/4 Along with grits, one of the comfort foods of the South is black-eyed peas. 1984 Bon Appétit Feb. 56/1 Split Pea Soup with Smoked Ham, although it has become an international ‘comfort food’, is traced to French-Canadian cooks in Quebec. 1989 N.Y. Woman Oct. 136/2 After being dumped by her boyfriend, the heroine..goes to d'Agostino's to buy comfort food. 1990 Courier-Mail (Brisbane) 16 Jan. 15/6 Even at fairly formal dinner parties, ‘comfort foods’ have starred—corn soup, meat loaf, cold black bean soup. 1992 Independent 15 Sept. 3/2 Single people..also tend to eat more ‘comfort foods’ such as cakes, biscuits and jam, though they balance this by spending a greater amount on fresh fruit. |
▸ comfort break n. euphem. (orig. U.S.) a break taken to use the toilet.
| 1959 Washington Post & Times Herald 21 May b13/2 The true television fan has dreadful manners... He complains loudly that he would welcome a commercial and a *comfort break. 2001 A. Dangor Bitter Fruit (2004) xxv. 254 The Minister returned from his comfort break and the meeting resumed. |
▸ comfort stop n. orig. U.S. a short stop intended to give passengers a break from a (long) bus or coach journey, esp. in order to use the toilet; (hence euphem.) a short break taken from any journey or activity in order to use the toilet.
| 1930 Syracuse Herald (N.Y.) 30 Mar. 13/4 To know the full pleasure and romance of travel, go the Greyhound way. Selected *comfort stops and popular-priced restaurants at frequent intervals break the journey into easy stages. 1960 Oakland (Calif.) Tribune 11 Mar. 16/5 As the white passengers filed off for a comfort stop, Griffin followed—but was stopped at the bus door by the driver. 1985 Times 9 Oct. 36/8 Food tends to be in fairly short supply among the Mujahidin, and the water often contains those bacteria that enforce frequent ‘comfort stops’ on unacclimatized westerners. 2002 S. Brown Lecturing x. 165 Late arrivals at your lectures may be because of difficulties getting across to a different building in a short time, with perhaps a necessary comfort stop en route. |