From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishtake the edge off somethingtake the edge off somethingREDUCEto make something less bad, good, strong etc Pascoe was drinking whisky to take the edge off the pain. → edge
Examples from the Corpus
take the edge off something• Moneylarge sums of money-can take the edge off an ambitious person.• This would certainly take the edge off the impending Apollo lunar landing.• He had decisively taken the edge off trade union power.• But it takes the edge off the pain.• As you can perhaps appreciate, this rather took the edge off my initial delight.• This will take the edge off your anxiety.• The sun was warm on my back, but the south-easterly wind took the edge off the stifling heat.• The burning wood takes the edge off the morning cold, and it helps brew our coffee. 