lull

lull (lul)

transitive verb

to calm or soothe by gentle sound or motion
to bring into a specified condition by soothing and reassuring to lull people into a false sense of security
to make less intense; quiet; allay to lull one's fears

Etymology: ME lullen, of echoic orig.

intransitive verb

to become calm

noun

a short period of quiet or of comparative calm, lessened activity, etc.

Object

audience: Those first few minutes of last week's show had lulled the audience into a false sense of security.

Converse of object

follow: An enlightening question and answer session followed a polite lull; the surgeons started to express curiosity and relief.
end: The attacks ended a six-week lull in air strikes, which used to take place almost daily.
experience: The lull experienced during 2005 resulted in an average of 20 weeks to sell a property.

Preposition: into

sense: AEGON UK also says people should not be lulled into a false sense of security over state pension reforms.

Adjective modifier

momentary: I only heard it because there had been a momentary lull in the barrage from the big guns.
slight: When the luncheon hour drew near there came a slight lull in the uproar.
brief: In the spring of 1942, there was a brief lull in fighting.
temporary: The distractions of the World Cup are also likely to have caused what may be a temporary lull in buyer interest.
relative: In 1944, the relative lull of the previous two years ended.
short: He caught the sound of her breathing in a short lull in the storm's wailings.

Noun used with modifier

summer: In days gone by, office workers had to struggle to find ways to occupy their time during a summer lull.

Preposition: before

storm: It was but the lull before the fatal storm.

Infinitive complement

sleep: Let your kids be lulled to sleep each night by the magical sounds of ocean waves.

Preposition: in

fighting: Plate 47 An RUC officer takes a break during the evening lull in the fighting in the Bogside.
proceeding: About 2 p.m. the Frenchmen dropped anchor and for some little time there was a lull in the proceedings.
conversation: Next time there's a lull in the conversation, you'll know what to do.
storm: The wind had not ceased, but there was a lull in the rain storm.
violence: But a lull in the violence is exactly what Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon cannot afford.
battle: A lull in the battle Was it only this morning that we last stood on dry land?

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