soften (sofn)

[ come more penetrable, pliable, and yielding to pre ure: as, iron softens with heat. Many of those bodies that will not melt, or will hardly melt, will notwithstanding soften. Bacon , Nat. Hist., § 840. (b) To become le rude, harsh, severe, or cruel; grow le obstinate or obdurate; become more susceptible of humane feelings and tenderne ; relent. We do not know How he may soften at the sight o' the child. Shak., W. T., ii. 2. 40. (c) To pa by soft, imperceptible degrees; melt; blend. Shade unperceiv'd, so softening into shade. Thomson, Hymn, 1. 25. II. trans. To make soft, or more soft. (a) To make le hard in substance. Orpheus' lute was strung with poets' sinews, Whose golden touch could soften steel and stones. Shak., T. G. of V., iii. 2. 79. Their arrows' point they soften in the flame. Gay, The Fan, i. 183. (b) To mollify; make le fierce or intractable; make more susceptible of humane or fine feelings: as, to soften a hard heart; to soften savage natures. Even the sullen disposition of Hash she evinced a facility for softening by her playful repartees and beautiful smiles. S. Judd, Margaret, ii. 1. (c) To make tender; make effeminate; enervate: as, troops softened by luxury. Before Poets did soften vs, we were full of courage, giuen to mart i all exercises. Sir P. Sidney, Apol. for Poetrie. (d) To make le harsh or severe, le rude, le offensive or violent; mitigate: as, to soften an expre ion. He bore his great commi ion in his look, But sweetly temper'd awe, and soften'd all he spoke. Dryden. The asperity of his opinions was softened as his mind enlarged. Southey, Bunyan, p. 54. (e) To make le glaring; tone down; make le sharp or harsh: as, to soften the coloring of a picture; to soften the outline of something. (f) To make le strong or intense in sound; make le loud; make smooth to the ear: as, to soften the voice.