这些动词均含有“给人以帮助以减轻痛苦或悲伤”之意。
comfort : 普通用词，指用语言或行动对痛苦者给予鼓励、勇气和力量，从而减轻其痛苦或悲伤，得到安慰。
- The girl's mother was at home today, being comforted by relatives.
女孩的母亲今天在家，有亲戚在安慰她。 - The victim's widow was today being comforted by family and friends.
受害人的遗孀今天正受到亲属和朋友的安慰。 - She comforted herself with the thought that it would soon be spring.
她想到春天很快就要来临，以此来宽慰自己。 - It comforted her to feel his arms around her.
感受到他的拥抱使她得到安慰。
console : 较正式用词，侧重缓和或减轻别人的痛苦或悲伤。
- He tried to console her, but she kept saying it was all her own fault.
他尽力安慰她，可是她不停地说那都是她自己的错。 - I tried to console her with a box of chocolates.
我竭力想用一盒巧克力来抚慰她。 - I was consoling Liz on having broken up with her boyfriend.
莉兹跟男友分手了，我在安慰她。
ease : 正式用词，指减轻身心的痛苦、不安和忧虑。
- To ease the problem of overcrowding, new prisons will be built.
为了缓解监狱里人满为患的情况，将修建新的监狱。 - These pills should ease the pain.
这些药丸能缓解疼痛。 - After the arrival of the United Nations soldiers, tension in the area began to ease.
联合国维和士兵到达后，这个地区的紧张局势开始得到缓解。
soothe : 着重以安慰减轻悲痛、愤怒或激动，使人理智地平静下来。也可指药物等减轻病痛。
- to soothe a crying baby
让哭闹的婴儿安静下来 - The music soothed her for a while.
音乐让她稍微安静了一会儿。 - He would take her in his arms and soothe her.
他会把她揽在怀中抚慰她。 - I had a long, hot bath to soothe my aching muscles.
我洗了个热水澡，泡了很长时间以缓解肌肉的疼痛。 - body lotion to soothe dry skin.
滋润干燥皮肤的润肤液
relieve : 指解除或缓解某人的病痛、担心或忧虑等，常用被动态。
- She was given a shot of morphine to relieve the pain.
医生给她注射了一针吗啡来止痛。 - She relieved her boredom at home by learning how to type.
她在家学打字来打发无聊的时光。 - to relieve the symptoms of a cold
减轻感冒的症状 - to relieve anxiety/guilt/stress
消除焦虑 / 内疚；缓解压力 - Being able to tell the truth at last seemed to relieve her.
能够最后讲出真话似乎使她感到轻松。
