1. a state of physical ease and freedom from pain or constraint:

慰め, (心の)やすらぎ, 安心感

e.g. room for four people to travel in comfort.

(comforts) things that contribute to physical ease and well-being:

〖通例～s〗 (家電製品などの)日常生活を楽に［快適に］してくれる物, 便利な品

e.g. the low upholstered chair was one of the room's few comforts.

prosperity and the pleasant lifestyle secured by it:

快適さ, 心地よさ, 安楽, 気楽

e.g. my father left us enough to live in comfort.

2. the easing or alleviation of a person's feelings of grief or distress:

〖通例a ～〗 【人にとって】慰めとなる事［物, 人］ «to, for» ; 〖形容詞的に〗安心を与える

e.g. a few words of comfort

e.g. they should take comfort that help is available.

in singular a person or thing that helps to alleviate a difficult situation:

e.g. his friendship was a great comfort.

3. US dialect a warm quilt.

｟米｠ ＝ comforter

verb with object

ease the grief or distress of; console:

〈人〉を慰める, 元気づける; 〈子供〉をなだめる

e.g. she broke down in tears and her friend tried to comfort her.

improve the mood of or restore a sense of well-being to:

〈体の部位〉の痛みを和らげる.

e.g. he dined outdoors, comforted by the crackling sounds of the fire.

causing physical or mental unease by an excess of the specified quality:

e.g. it can be too hot for comfort in July and August.

Middle English (as a noun, in the senses ‘strengthening, support, consolation’; as a verb, in the senses ‘strengthen, give support, console’): from Old French confort (noun), conforter (verb), from late Latin confortare ‘strengthen’, from com- (expressing intensive force) + Latin fortis ‘strong’. The sense ‘something producing physical ease’ arose in the mid 17th century.