palliation

[Cf. F. palliation.]

1. The act of palliating, or state of being palliated; extenuation; excuse; as, the palliation of faults, offenses, vices.

2. Mitigation; alleviation, as of a disease. Bacon.

3. That which cloaks or covers; disguise; also, the state of being covered or disguised. [Obs.]

noun

Freedom, especially from pain: alleviation, assuagement, ease, mitigation, relief. See increase/decrease.

The noun has 2 meanings:

Meaning #1: easing the severity of a pain or a disease without removing the cause

Meaning #2: to act in such a way as to cause an offense to seem less serious
  Synonyms: extenuation, mitigation