smooth someone's feathers
Soothe ruffled feelings
To smooth someone's feathers is to calm or placate them after they've become upset or offended—the image being of a ruffled bird whose feathers need settling back into place.
After the argument, she spent an hour smoothing his feathers.
The opposite action is to ruffle feathers.
- pacifyTo calm agitation
- mollifyReduce anger or distress
- mediationIntervention to resolve conflict
- comfortEase or soothing relief
- consoleComfort in distress
placate · pour oil on troubled waters · negotiation · de-escalation · keep the peace · alleviate · appease · calm down · compromise · calm · reassure · empathy · ease · clear the air · pecking order · diplomacy · conciliation · mend fences
smooth someone's feathersruffle someone's feathers
To annoy or upset
rub someone the wrong way · provoke · antagonize · irritate · aggravate
smooth someone's feathersfan the flames
Deliberately worsen a dispute
add fuel to the fire · escalate · stir the pot · stir up trouble · make waves
smooth, smoother, smoothest, smoothly, smoothness, smoothen, someone, feather, feathers