Emily Dickinson Lexicon

PAL'LI-ATE, v.t. [Fr. pallier; Sp. paliar; It. palliare; from Low L. pallio, from pallium, a cloke or robe.]

1. To clothe. [Obs.]
2. To cover with excuse; to conceal the enormity of offenses by excuses and apologies; hence, to extenuate; to lessen; to soften by favorable representations; as, to palliate faults, offenses, crimes or vices. – Dryden.
3. To reduce in violence; to mitigate; to lessen or abate; as, to palliate a disease.