alentar

to encourage, animate; to gather up one's courage; to recuperate; to recover from an illness.

“Hay que alentarla un poco.” — She needs a little cheering up.

Inherited from Vulgar Latin *alēnitare < *an(h)ēlitāre, derived from Latin anhēlitus (“breath”). The diphthongization in rhizotonic conjugations (yo aliento) is etymologically unexpected, considering the Latin /ē/, but may have to do with analogy with other verbs ending in -entar, such as sentar. In that case, the diphtongization in Asturian alendar would perhaps be due to Castilian influence.

to slow down, become slow; to become or behave as a shy, shameful or fearful person

From a- + lento (“slow”) + -ar.