5  definitions  found 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Comfort  \Com"fort\,  v.  t.  [imp.  &  p.  p.  {Comforted};  p.  pr  & 
  vb  n.  {Comforting.}]  [F.  conforter,  fr  L.  confortare  to 
  strengthen  much  con-  +  fortis  strong.  See  {Fort}.] 
  1.  To  make  strong;  to  invigorate;  to  fortify;  to  corroborate. 
  [Obs.]  --Wyclif. 
 
  God's  own  testimony  .  .  .  doth  not  a  little  comfort 
  and  confirm  the  same  --Hooker. 
 
  2.  To  assist  or  help;  to  aid.  [Obs.] 
 
  I  .  .  .  can  not  help  the  noble  chevalier:  God 
  comfort  him  in  this  necessity!  --Shak. 
 
  3.  To  impart  strength  and  hope  to  to  encourage;  to  relieve; 
  to  console;  to  cheer. 
 
  Light  excelleth  in  comforting  the  spirits  of  men. 
  --Bacon. 
 
  That  we  may  be  able  to  comfort  them  that  are  in  any 
  affliction.  --2  Cor.  i.  4 
  (Rev.  Ver.). 
 
  A  perfect  woman,  nobly  planned,  To  warn,  to  comfort, 
  and  command.  --Wordsworth. 
 
  Syn:  To  cheer;  solace;  console;  revive;  encourage;  enliven; 
  invigorate;  inspirit;  gladden;  recreate;  exhilarate; 
  refresh;  animate;  confirm;  strengthen. 
 
  Usage:  {To  Comfort},  {Console},  {Solace}.  These  verbs  all 
  suppose  some  antecedent  state  of  suffering  or  sorrow. 
  Console  is  confined  to  the  act  giving  sympathetic 
  relief  to  the  mind  under  affliction  or  sorrow,  and 
  points  to  some  definite  source  of  that  relief;  as  the 
  presence  of  his  friend  consoled  him  he  was  much 
  consoled  by  this  intelligence.  The  act  of  consoling 
  commonly  implies  the  inculcation  of  resignation. 
  Comfort  points  to  relief  afforded  by  the  communication 
  of  positive  pleasure,  hope,  and  strength,  as  well  as 
  by  the  diminution  of  pain;  as  ``They  brought  the 
  young  man  alive,  and  were  not  a  little  comforted.'' 
  --Acts  xx  12.  Solace  is  from  L.  solacium,  which  means 
  according  to  Dumesnil  consolation  inwardly  felt  or 
  applied  to  the  case  of  the  sufferer.  Hence  the  verb 
  to  solace  denotes  the  using  of  things  for  the  purpose 
  of  affording  relief  under  sorrow  or  suffering;  as  to 
  solace  one's  self  with  reflections,  with  books,  or 
  with  active  employments. 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Comfort  \Com"fort\,  n.  [OF.  confort,  fr  conforter.] 
  1.  Assistance;  relief;  support.  [Obs.  except  in  the  phrase 
  ``aid  and  comfort.''  See  5  below.]  --Shak. 
 
  2.  Encouragement;  solace;  consolation  in  trouble;  also  that 
  which  affords  consolation. 
 
  In  comfort  of  her  mother's  fears.  --Shak. 
 
  Cheer  thy  spirit  with  this  comfort.  --Shak. 
 
  Speaking  words  of  endearment  where  words  of  comfort 
  availed  not  --Longfellow. 
 
  3.  A  state  of  quiet  enjoyment;  freedom  from  pain,  want  or 
  anxiety;  also  whatever  contributes  to  such  a  condition. 
 
  I  had  much  joy  and  comfort  in  thy  love.  --Phil.  7 
  (Rev.  Ver.). 
 
  He  had  the  means  of  living  in  comfort.  --Macaulay. 
 
  4.  A  wadded  bedquilt;  a  comfortable.  [U.  S.] 
 
  5.  (Law)  Unlawful  support,  countenance,  or  encouragement;  as 
  to  give  aid  and  comfort  to  the  enemy. 
 
  Syn:  {Comfort},  {Consolation}. 
 
  Usage:  Comfort  has  two  meanings: 
 
  1.  Strength  and  relief  received  under  affliction; 
 
  2.  Positive  enjoyment,  of  a  quiet,  permanent  nature,  together 
  with  the  sources  thereof;  as  the  comfort  of  love; 
  surrounded  with  comforts;  but  it  is  with  the  former  only 
  that  the  word  consolation  is  brought  into  comparison.  As 
  thus  compared,  consolation  points  to  some  specific  source 
  of  relief  for  the  afflicted  mind;  as  the  consolations  of 
  religion.  Comfort  supposes  the  relief  to  be  afforded  by 
  imparting  positive  enjoyment,  as  well  as  a  diminution  of 
  pain.  ``Consolation,  or  comfort,  signifies  some 
  alleviation  to  that  pain  to  which  it  is  not  in  our  power 
  to  afford  the  proper  and  adequate  remedy;  they  imply 
  rather  an  augmentation  of  the  power  of  bearing,  than  a 
  diminution  of  the  burden.''  --Johnson. 
 
  From  WordNet  r  1.6  [wn]: 
 
  comfort 
  n  1:  a  state  of  being  relaxed  and  feeling  no  pain;  "he  is  a  man 
  who  enjoys  his  comfort";  "she  longed  for  the 
  comfortableness  of  her  armchair"  [syn:  {comfortableness}] 
  [ant:  {discomfort}] 
  2:  a  feeling  of  freedom  from  worry  or  disappointment 
  3:  the  act  of  consoling;  giving  relief  in  affliction;  "his 
  presence  was  a  consolation  to  her"  [syn:  {consolation},  {solace}] 
  4:  a  freedom  from  financial  difficulty  that  promotes  a 
  comfortable  state:  "a  life  of  luxury  and  ease";  "he  had 
  all  the  material  comforts  of  this  world"  [syn:  {ease}] 
  v  1:  give  moral  or  emotional  strength  to  [syn:  {soothe},  {console}, 
  {solace}] 
  2:  ease  physically  [syn:  {ease}] 
 
  From  U.S.  Gazetteer  (1990)  [gazetteer]: 
 
  Comfort,  TX  (CDP,  FIPS  16228) 
  Location:  29.97233  N,  98.90281  W 
  Population  (1990):  1477  (646  housing  units) 
  Area:  8.3  sq  km  (land),  0.0  sq  km  (water) 
  Zip  code(s):  78013 
  Comfort,  WV 
  Zip  code(s):  25049 
 
  From  THE  DEVIL'S  DICTIONARY  ((C)1911  Released  April  15  1993)  [devils]: 
 
  COMFORT,  n.  A  state  of  mind  produced  by  contemplation  of  a  neighbor's 
  uneasiness. 
 
 

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