pour oil on troubled waters

[caggla]

?

Meaning

Attempt to calm a problematic situation.

Origin

The spillage of oil into the sea hasn't had a good press in recent years following the many ecological disasters caused by wrecked tankers discharging thousands of tons of crude oil into the world's oceans. In earlier times the pouring of modest quantities of oil into the sea was done deliberately in order to forestall rough seas. This phrase alludes to the actual calming effect of that oil has on wave action as it spreads over the surface of the sea. Very small quantities of oil can cover a surprisingly large area as it spreads into a layer just a few molecules in thickness. The surface tension of the oil layer has an effect similar to that of a thin skin.

[ALI-KARABULUT]

Heyecanı/tartışmayı yatıştırmak.
Sûkûneti sağlamak.

- They tried to pour oil on troubled waters after they noticed the argument among the students.

The end of the Cold War and attendant reductions in East-West tension seemed to have done little to calm the waves of the Aegean dispute.

I understand people who have no clue what Koran, Hadith and Sharia really say thinking they should step in and try to soothe the waters.