Soft

soft, adj. easily yielding to pre ure: easily cut or acted upon: malleable: not rough to the touch: smooth: pleasing or soothing to the senses: easily yielding to any influence: mild: sympathetic: gentle: effeminate: gentle in motion: easy: free from lime or salt, as water: bituminous, as opposed to anthracitic , of coal: unsized, of paper: wet, rainy: warm enough to melt ice, thawing: ( phon. ) pronounced with a somewhat sibilant sound, not guttural or explosive: vocal or sonant: not bony, cartilaginous, not spinous: soft-rayed, soft-shelled: of silk, having the natural gum cleaned or washed off—opp. to Hard .— n. a silly person, a fool.— adv. gently: quietly.— interj. hold! not so fast!— adjs. Soft′-bod′ied , having a soft body; Soft′-con′scienced , having a sensitive conscience.— v.t. Soft′en , to make soft or softer: to mitigate: to tone down, make le glaring, make smoother in sound.— v.i. to grow soft or softer.— ns. Soft′ener ; Soft′ening .— adjs. Soft′-eyed , having gentle or tender eyes; Soft′-finned , having no fin-spines.— n.pl. Soft′-goods , cloth, and cloth articles, as opposed to hardware , .— adjs. Soft′-hand′ed , having soft hands, unused to work, slack in discipline; Soft′-head′ed , of weak intellect; Soft′-heart′ed , kind-hearted: gentle: meek.— n. Soft-heart′edne .— adj. Soft′ish , rather soft.— adv. Soft′ly .— n. Soft′ne .— v.t. Soft′-saw′der ( U.S. ), to flatter, blarney.— n. flattery.— v.t. Soft′-soap , to flatter for some end.— n. flattery.— adj. Soft-spō′ken , -voiced , having a mild or gentle voice: mild, affable.— n. Soft′y , a silly person, a weak fool.—A soft thing, a snug place where the pay is good and the work light. [A.S. sófte , séfte ; Dut. zacht , Ger. sanft .]