take the edge off

To come in and just, like you said, take the edge off and get to laugh a little bit.

“Sometimes medication is necessary to take the edge off of traumatized animals.”

While some Angelenos fill their stomachs to calm their nerves, proponents of the “Emotional Freedom Technique” take the edge off by executing a series of esoteric stress-relief exercises.

She rode in the motorcade that took Malia and Sasha to school, to take the edge off the trip that involved three cars and at least four armed security agents.

“It would definitely take the edge off,” he quipped.