Pain · Health
take the edge off
reduce intensity
To take the edge off pain means to make it feel less severe.
This vs that
The tablets took the edge off the pain.
The tablets got rid of the pain.
Hear it in real life
Is the pain any better?
A little. The tablets have taken the edge off it.
A warm bath usually takes the edge off my back pain.
Which sounds natural?
Psst — which one would you actually say?
'Take the edge off' is the natural everyday idiom for partial relief.
The mistake everyone makes
Not: This medicine takes away the edge of the pain.
Say: This medicine takes the edge off the pain.
The fixed phrase is 'take the edge off', not 'take away the edge of'.
Say it together
Whole chunks natives use with it.
take the edge off ___
A hot drink took the edge off my sore throat.
The painkillers took the edge off the headache.
Phrases to borrow
More for talking about pain.
be in agony
I was in agony after standing all day.
ease the pain
A hot bath usually eases the pain.
Pain words
Health · Pain: the words around “take the edge off”.
More connectionsMore pain words7
Your turn: say it out loud
It took the edge off the pain.
Say it out loud two or three times, until it feels like yours.
take the edge off
reduce intensity
“A warm bath usually takes the edge off my back pain.”
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