What does soften mean?
Definitions for soften
ˈsɔ fən, ˈsɒf ənsoft·en
Here are all the possible meanings and translations of the word soften.
Princeton's WordNet
softenverb
make (images or sounds) soft or softer
dampen, damp, soften, weaken, breakverb
lessen in force or effect
"soften a shock"; "break a fall"
yield, relent, softenverb
give in, as to influence or pressure
cushion, buffer, softenverb
protect from impact
"cushion the blow"
mince, soften, moderateverb
make less severe or harsh
"He moderated his tone when the students burst out in tears"
softenverb
make soft or softer
"This liquid will soften your laundry"
softenverb
become soft or softer
"The bread will soften if you pour some liquid on it"
Wiktionary
softenverb
To make something soft or softer.
Soften the butter before beating in the sugar.
softenverb
To undermine the morale of someone (often soften up).
Before the invasion, we softened up the enemy with the artillery.
softenverb
To make less harsh
Having second thoughts, I softened my criticism.
softenverb
To become soft or softer
The butter softened as it warmed up.
Samuel Johnson's Dictionary
To Softenverb
Etymology: from soft.
Bodies, into which the water will enter, long seething will rather soften than indurate. Francis Bacon, Natural History.
Their arrow’s point they soften in the flame,
And sounding hammers break its barbed frame. John Gay.I will soften stony hearts. John Milton.
Our friends see not our faults, or conceal them, or soften them by their representation. Addison.
I would correct the harsh expressions of one party, by softening and reconciling methods. Isaac Watts.
Call round her tomb each object of desire,
Bid her be all that chears or softens life,
The tender sister, daughter, friend, and wife. Alexander Pope.Musick the fiercest griefs can charm;
Musick can soften pain to ease,
And make despair and madness please. Alexander Pope.He bore his great commission in his look,
But sweetly temper’d awe, and soften’d all he spoke. Dryd.To Softenverb
Many bodies, that will hardly melt, will soften; as iron in
The forge. Francis Bacon, Natural History.He may soften at the sight of the child;
The silence often of pure innocence
Persuades, when speaking fails. William Shakespeare.
Webster Dictionary
Softenverb
to make soft or more soft
Softenverb
to render less hard; -- said of matter
Softenverb
to mollify; to make less fierce or intractable
Softenverb
to palliate; to represent as less enormous; as, to soften a fault
Softenverb
to compose; to mitigate; to assuage
Softenverb
to make less harsh, less rude, less offensive, or less violent, or to render of an opposite quality
Softenverb
to make less glaring; to tone down; as, to soften the coloring of a picture
Softenverb
to make tender; to make effeminate; to enervate; as, troops softened by luxury
Softenverb
to make less harsh or grating, or of a quality the opposite; as, to soften the voice
Softenverb
to become soft or softened, or less rude, harsh, severe, or obdurate
Matched Categories
Numerology
Chaldean Numerology
The numerical value of soften in Chaldean Numerology is: 5
Pythagorean Numerology
The numerical value of soften in Pythagorean Numerology is: 7
Examples of soften in a Sentence
The link between sentiment and spending is not especially tight, but the recent decline in consumer sentiment could be a sign that the spending data will soften soon.
It may soften the antagonism on the part of the evolutionary community.
There are many kinds of smiles, each having a distinct character. Some announce goodness, and sweetness, others betray sarcasm, bitterness, and pride; some soften the countenance by their languishing tenderness, others brighten by their spiritual vivacity.
First lady Ri seems to have been portrayed as offering guidance – not to her husband, of course, but to the factory workers. It is rare for anyone other than Kim Jong Un, or Kim Jong Il or Kim Il Sung before him, to publicly offer guidance to anyone, even at the highest level, most trusted people are rarely ever shown doing that. So this certainly shows a high level of official trust in her. It also suggests an effort to bolster and soften the public positioning of the Pyongyang line to have him visit a cosmetics factory, and have them both appearing to offer guidance to the workers.
While that does soften the blow of the rising prices you can see how consumers, looking at how crude prices are dropping, feel frustrated at the higher prices for gasoline.
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Translations for soften
From our Multilingual Translation Dictionary
- blødgøre, blødgøresDanish
- ablandar, ablandarse, suavizarSpanish
- adoucirFrench
- deshardeskarIdo
- ammorbidire, rendere malleabile, ammorbidirsi, rendere arrendevole, addolcireItalian
- mollisLatin
- verzachtenDutch
- bløtgjøreNorwegian
- suavizar, amolecerPortuguese
- muia, înmuiaRomanian
- размягчиться, размягчать, смягчать, смягчить, размягчаться, смягчаться, размягчить, смягчитьсяRussian
- zbutAlbanian
- mjuknaSwedish
- lumambotTagalog
Get even more translations for soften »
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"soften." Definitions.net. STANDS4 LLC, 2022. Web. 7 Aug. 2022. <https://www.definitions.net/definition/soften>.
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