Emily Dickinson Lexicon

AS-SUAGE', v.t. [This word appears to be formed on the G. schwach; D. zwak, weak; or on D. zagt, soft, gentle, quiet, which coincides with the Sax. swig, silence; swigan, to be silent; whence geswigean, to be silent; D. zwygen, id. In Sax. also, geswican, is to cease, fail, rest, be quiet. But the Dutch word for assuage is verzagten, to soften.]

To soften, in a figurative sense; to allay, mitigate, ease or lessen, as pain or grief; to appease or pacify, as passion or tumult. In strictness, it signifies rather to moderate, than to quiet, tranquilize or reduce to perfect peace or ease.