What does "lenitive" mean?

Lenitive: (Med.) (a) A medicine or application that has the quality of easing pain or protecting from the action of irritants. (b) A mild purgative; a laxative.

Additional senses

  1. 2.That which softens or mitigates; that which tends to allay passion, excitement, or pain; a palliative. There is one sweet Lenitive at least for evils, which Nature holds out; so I took it kindly at her hands, and fell asleep. Sterne.

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