1. NURTURE   make a violent speech   correct   nourish   postpone   Hint Half-n-half Clue   2. REBUFF   make less severe   reject ungraciously   make unclear   confirm formally   Half-n-half Clue   3. PROFANE   consign to inferior position   desecrate   preserve indefinitely   make a violent speech   Half-n-half Clue   4. NULLIFY   narrate   retract a former statement   soothe the anger of   negate   Half-n-half Clue   5. MITIGATE   laugh at   make less severe   follow a winding course   disprove   Half-n-half Clue   6. RECANT   retract a former statement   arouse anger   desecrate   consign to inferior position   Half-n-half Clue   7. MOCK   laugh at   consign to inferior position   follow a winding course   retract a former statement   Half-n-half Clue