Letter P

Palindromic rheumatism

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To treat partially and incompletely.

To palliate a diseases is to treat it partially but not cure it completely.

Palliation cloaks a disease.

Palliate has several senses, including: to reduce the severity of (a disease); to moderate the intensity of something; and to cover by excuses and apologies.

The Latin "pallium" referred to a type of cloak in ancient Greece and Rome and, later, to a white woolen band with pendants in front and back worn by the pope or an archbishop as a symbol of full episcopal authority.

Pallium was modified to form "palliate," an adjective meaning "cloaked" or "concealed" and a verb meaning "to cloak," "to cloth," or "to shelter." Today "palliate" implies disguising or concealing badness or evil and suggests alleviating the vile effects of wickedness or illness.

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