Random thought

[pne]

To nurse (i.e. to feed at a breast) in German is stillen (both in the transitive and intransitive senses: Die Mutter stillte ihr Kind "The mother nursed her child"; Das Kind stillte an der Brust "The child nursed at (her mother's) breast", though the second form is more uncommon, I'd say)—apparently a derivative of still "still, quiet": by my feeling, a causative "to cause to be quiet". Which is what it often does, even if the child is not hungry but just needs some comfort or closeness :)

The cognate verb to still isn't used in English, though, is it? The only thing that comes to mind is technical jargon from Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time series; IIRC it's used for the process of removing a male channeler's powers, or something like that? Anyone familiar with the series who can provide details?

Comments

[ladyortyger.livejournal.com]

It seems vaguely familiar as an English 'verb' ...

'He became still' 'The crowd stilled' ...

Stuff like that.

And 'stilling' in WoT was done to both men and women, removing all ability to channel saidar/saidin, specifically. But not the ability to feel others channeling.

[entirelysonja.livejournal.com]

I agree that it's not particularly uncommon to hear/see a sentence like, "As the beleaguered senator approached the podium, the audience stilled in anticipation of a major announcement."