1. PLACATE   soothe   nourish   tear down   blot out   Hint Half-n-half Clue   2. PROVOKE   make less severe   arouse anger   make unclear   follow a winding course   Half-n-half Clue   3. RECANT   soothe   confirm formally   desecrate   retract a former statement   Half-n-half Clue   4. RAZE   consign to inferior position   make a violent speech   wander without aim   tear down   Half-n-half Clue   5. RANT   preserve indefinitely   tear down   make a violent speech   disprove   Half-n-half Clue   6. RECOUNT   postpone   narrate   exclude   consign to inferior position   Half-n-half Clue   7. RAMBLE   exclude   wander without aim   confirm formally   preserve indefinitely   Half-n-half Clue