The Word of the Day for August 10 is:

anodyne   \AN-uh-dyne\   adjective
     1 : serving to alleviate pain
   *2 : not likely to offend or arouse tensions : innocuous

Example sentence:
     Afraid of seeming overly critical, the new coach would only offer 
     a few anodyne suggestions.

Did you know?
     "Anodyne" came to English via Latin from Greek "anodynos" ("without pain"), 
     and it has been used as both an adjective and a noun ("something that relieves pain") 
     since the 16th century. It has sometimes been used of things that dull or lull the 
     senses and render painful experiences less so. Edmund Burke used it this way, 
     for example, in 1790 when he referred to flattery as an "anodyne draft of oblivion" 
     that renders one (in this particular case, the deposed king Louis XVI) forgetful 
     of the flatterer's true feelings. In the 1930s, a newer second sense began appearing 
     in our vocabulary. Now, in addition to describing things that dull pain, "anodyne" can 
     also refer to that which doesn't cause discomfort in the first place.

*Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence.