后缀：-en ①[动词后缀]

表示做、使成为...、使变成...

shorten 使缩短

gladden 使快活

harden 使变硬

flatten 使变平

strengthen 加强

moisten 弄湿，使湿

deepen 加深，使深

sharpen 削尖

rechen 使富

quicken 加快

darken 使黑，变黑

youthen 变年轻

heighten 加高，提高

fatten 使肥

lengthen 使延长，伸长

straighten 弄直，使直

broaden 加宽

sweeten 使变甜

thicken 使变厚

soften 弄软，使软化

②[形容词后缀]

表示由...制成的，含有...质的，似...的

wooden 木制的

leaden 铅制的

woolen 羊毛制的

golden 金质的，似金的

silken 丝的，如丝的

wheaten 小麦制的

earthen 泥质的，泥制的

waxen 蜡制的，似蜡的

ashen 灰的，似灰的

oaken 橡树制的

③[名词后缀]

1、表示人

warden 看守人

citizen 公民

vixen 刁妇，泼妇

denizen 居民

2、表示小称

maiden 少女

chicken 小鸡

kitten 小猫

词根词缀：malaco-, malac-, malako-, -malacia

【来源及含义】Greek: soft, softness; abnormal softening, soft-bodied

【同源单词】adenomalacia, angiomalacia, arteriomalacia, bronchomalacia, cardiomalacia, cerebromalacia

词根词缀：malaxo-, malax-

【来源及含义】Latin: to soften, softening; to mollify; a kneading movement used in massage; stroking, caressing, love play

【同源单词】dermalaxia, malax, malaxable, malaxage, malaxate, malaxation

词根词缀：palli-, pallio, pallit-

【来源及含义】Latin: mantle, covering; cloak

【相关描述】 To palliate, extenuate, cloak. These words, as here compared, are used in a figurative sense in reference to our treatment of wrong action. We cloak in order to conceal completely. We extenuate a crime when we endeavor to show that it is less than has been supposed; we palliate a crime when we endeavor to cover or conceal its enormity, at least in part. This naturally leads us to soften some of its features, and thus palliate approaches extenuate until they have become nearly or quite identical .

【同源单词】pallia, palliament, palliate, palliated, palliation, palliative