take the edge off (something)

to make something unpleasant have less of an effect on someone.

Have an apple. It'll take the edge off your hunger for a while.

His apology took the edge off her anger.

• keep your hands clean
• keep your hands off
• keep your hands off something
• keep your head
• keep your head above water
• keep your head down
• keep your mouth shut
• keep your nose clean
• keep your nose out of
• keep your nose out of something
• keep your nose to the grindstone
• keep your options open
• keep your own counsel
• Keep your pecker up!
• keep your powder dry
• keep yourself to
• keep yourself to yourself
• Keep your shirt on!
• keep your shirt on
• keep your wits about
• keep your wits about you
• keep your word
• kept man
• kept woman
• kerb-crawler