To speak or act soothingly in order to quiet a quarrel or a contrast; to calm things down

After the controversies on the new law to fight illegal immigrants, the government is now trying to pour oil on troubled waters. "Put out any arguments" is the name of the game

Dopo le polemiche sulla nuova legge per combattere l'immigrazione clandestina, il governo getta olio sulle onde. "Smorzare le polemiche" è la parola d'ordine

The opening of an animal shelter right in the middle of a residential area has sparked a pitched battle between animal lovers and lovers of sleep. Hoping to soothe ruffled feathers on all sides, the city council promised to look and pay for a new site for the animal shelter

L'apertura di un rifugio per animali abbandonati nel bel mezzo del quartiere residenziale ha sollevato una battaglia campale tra amanti degli animali e amanti del sonno. Sperando di calmare le acque su tutti i fronti, il comune ha promesso di cercare a spese proprie una nuova sistemazione per gli animali

It is stated that a young eighth-century priest was given by his bishop a bottle of oil to pour on the sea if it became rough, and actually calmed the waves by this means. It has been proven that oil sprayed upon the surface does help to calm a high sea