recomfort

From Anglo-Norman reconforter, Middle French reconforter, from re- + conforter.

• (UK) IPA^(key): /ɹiːˈkʌmfət/

recomfort (third-person singular simple present recomforts, present participle recomforting, simple past and past participle recomforted)

1. (transitive, now rare) To console (someone); to comfort, look after.
   • 1485, Sir Thomas Malory, “xxxiiij”, in Le Morte Darthur, book VII:

     With that cam his moder the quene of Orkeney dame Morgause / And whan she sawe syr Gareth redely in the vysage she myghte not wepe but sodenly felle doun in a swoune / and lay there a grete whyle lyke as she had ben dede / And thenne syr Gareth recomforted his moder in suche wyse that she recouerd and made good chere

     (please add an English translation of this quotation)

2. (transitive, now rare) To inspire with new courage; to encourage.
3. (transitive, now rare) To reinvigorate, to strengthen.
   • 1631, Francis [Bacon], “V. Century.”, in Sylua Syluarum: Or A Naturall Historie. In Ten Centuries. […], 3rd edition, London: […] William Rawley; [p]rinted by J[ohn] H[aviland] for William Lee […], →OCLC:

     And therefore it is an experiment , though vulgar in strawberries , yet not brought into use generally : for it is usual to help the ground with muck , and likewise to recomfort it sometimes with muck put to the roots

• Comforter, comforter