Definitions for soft-pedal
Random House Webster's College Dictionary
soft′ ped′al(n.)
a pedal, as on a piano, for reducing tonal volume.
Category: Music and Dance
something that restrains or dampens.
Category: Informal
Origin of soft pedal:
1915–20
soft′-ped′al(v.)-aled, -al•ing; -alled, -al•ling.
(v.i.)to use the soft pedal of a piano.
Category: Music and Dance
(v.t.)to attempt to make less obvious, important, or objectionable; downplay.
Category: Informal
Origin of soft-pedal:
1915–20
Princeton's WordNet
soft pedal(verb)
a pedal on a piano that moves the action closer to the strings and so soften the sound
soft-pedal(verb)
play down or obscure
"His advisers soft-pedaled the president's blunder"
Wiktionary
soft-pedal(Verb)
Attempting to persuade without being obvious about it, by understating a position so the listener takes the good points as obvious.
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