palliate

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The Word of the Day for November 30 is: 

palliate   \PAL-ee-ayt\   verb
     1 : to reduce the violence of (a disease); also : to ease 
(symptoms) without curing the underlying disease
    *2 : to cover by excuses and apologies
     3 : to moderate the intensity of

Example sentence:
     Roberta tried to palliate her actions with explanations and 
apologies, but Donald refused to accept her excuses.

Did you know?
     Long ago, the ancient Romans had a name for the cloak-like 
garb that was worn by the Greeks (distinguishing it from their 
own "toga"); the name was "pallium." In the 15th century, 
English speakers modified the Late Latin word "palliatus," which 
derives from "pallium," to form "palliate." Our term, used 
initially as both an adjective and a verb, never had the literal 
Latin sense referring to the cloak you wear, but it took on the 
figurative "cloak" of protection. Specifically, the 
verb "palliate" meant (as it still can mean) "to lessen the 
intensity of a disease." Nowadays, "palliate" can be used as a 
synonym of "gloss" or "whitewash" when someone is attempting to 
disguise something bad.

*Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence.