sedate
UK: sɪˈdeɪt | US: sɪˈdeɪt
adj. calm, quiet, or composed; lacking excitement or disturbance
vt. to administer a sedative to (someone); to calm or tranquilize
The word "sedate" originates from the Latin sedatus, the past participle of sedare ("to calm"). The core idea revolves around sitting (sedere) as a metaphor for stillness. Over time, it evolved to describe both a calm demeanor (adjective) and the act of inducing calmness (verb, via sedatives). The logical progression ties physical stillness (sitting) to emotional or behavioral tranquility.
The librarian’s sedate manner made the noisy children quiet down.
After the surgery, the patient was sedated to ensure rest.
The sedate atmosphere of the countryside was a welcome change from the city.
She gave a sedate response to the shocking news, showing no emotion.
The doctor decided to sedate the agitated patient for safety.