Adjacent Words

Soft definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

SOFT, a.
1. Easily yielding to pressure ; the contrary of hard; as a soft bed; a soft peach; soft earth.
2. Not hard; easily separated by an edged instrument; as soft wood. The chestnut is a soft wood, but more durable than hickory, with is a very hard wood. So we say, a soft stone, when it breaks or is hewed with ease.
3. Easily worked; malleable; as soft iron.
4. Not rough, rugged or harsh; smooth to the touch; delicate; as soft silk; soft raiment a soft skin.
5. Delicate; feminine; as the softer sex.
6. Easily yielding to persuasion or motives flexible; susceptible of influence or passion. In both these senses, soft is appiled to females, and sometimes males; as a divine of a soft and servile temper. One king is too soft and easy.
7. Tender; timorous. However soft within themselves they are, to you they will be valiant be despair.
8. Mild; gentle; kind; not severe or unfeeling; as a person of a soft nature.
9. Civil; complaisant; courteous; as a person of soft manners. He has a soft way of asking favors.
10. Placid; still; easy. On her soft axie while whe paces even, she bears thee soft with the smooth air along.
11. Effeminate; viciouly nice. An idle soft course of life is the source of crminal pleasures.
12. Delicate; elegantly tender. Her form more soft and feminine.
13. Weak; impressible. The deceive soon found this soft place of Adam's [Not elegant.]
14. Gentle; smooth or melodious to the ear. not loud, rough or harsh; as a soft voice or note; a soft sound; soft accents; soft whispers.
15. Smooth; flowing; not rough or vehement. The solemn nightingale tun'd her soft lays. Soft were my numbers, who could take offense?
16. Easy; quiet; undisturbed; as soft slumbers.
17. Mild to the eye; not strong or glaring; as soft colors; the soft coloring of a picture. The sun shining on the upper part of the clounds, made the softes light imaginable.
18. Mild; warm; pleasant to the feelings; as soft air.
19. Not tinged with an acid; not hard; not astringent; as, soft water is the best for washing.
20. Mild; gentle; not rough, rude or irritating. A soft answer turneth away wrath. Proverbs 15.
SOFT, adv. Softly; gently; quietly.
SOFT, exclam. for be soft, hold; stoop; not so fast. But, soft, my muse, the world is wide.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

adj
1: yielding readily to pressure or weight [ant: hard]
2: compassionate and kind; conciliatory; "he was soft on his children" [ant: hard]
3: (of sound) relatively low in volume; "soft voices"; "soft music" [ant: loud]
4: easily hurt; "soft hands"; "a baby's delicate skin" [syn: delicate, soft]
5: produced with vibration of the vocal cords; "a frequently voiced opinion"; "voiced consonants such as `b' and `g' and `z'"; [syn: voiced, sonant, soft] [ant: hard, surd, unvoiced, voiceless]
6: not protected against attack (especially by nuclear weapons); "soft targets" [ant: hardened]
7: used chiefly as a direction or description in music; "the piano passages in the composition" [syn: piano, soft] [ant: forte, loud]
8: (of light) transmitted from a broad light source or reflected [syn: soft, diffuse, diffused] [ant: concentrated, hard]
9: (of speech sounds); produced with the back of the tongue raised toward the hard palate; characterized by a hissing or hushing sound (as `s' and `sh') [ant: hard]
10: (of a commodity or market or currency) falling or likely to fall in value; "the market for computers is soft"
11: using evidence not readily amenable to experimental verification or refutation; "soft data"; "the soft sciences"
12: tolerant or lenient; "indulgent parents risk spoiling their children"; "too soft on the children"; "they are soft on crime" [syn: indulgent, lenient, soft]
13: soft and mild; not harsh or stern or severe; "a gentle reprimand"; "a vein of gentle irony"; "poked gentle fun at him" [syn: gentle, soft]
14: having little impact; "an easy pat on the shoulder"; "gentle rain"; "a gentle breeze"; "a soft (or light) tapping at the window" [syn: easy, gentle, soft]
15: out of condition; not strong or robust; incapable of exertion or endurance; "he was too soft for the army"; "flabby around the middle"; "flaccid cheeks" [syn: soft, flabby, flaccid]
16: willing to negotiate and compromise
17: not burdensome or demanding; borne or done easily and without hardship; "what a cushy job!"; "the easygoing life of a parttime consultant"; "a soft job" [syn: cushy, soft, easygoing]
18: mild and pleasant; "balmy days and nights"; "the climate was mild and conducive to life or growth"; "a soft breeze" [syn: balmy, mild, soft]
19: not brilliant or glaring; "the moon cast soft shadows"; "soft pastel colors"; "subdued lighting" [syn: soft, subdued] adv
1: in a relaxed manner; or without hardship; "just wanted to take it easy" (`soft' is nonstandard) [syn: easy, soft]

Merriam Webster's

I. adjective Etymology: Middle English, from Old English s?fte, alteration of s?fte; akin to Old High German semfti soft Date: before 12th century 1. a. pleasing or agreeable to the senses ; bringing ease, comfort, or quiet <the soft influences of home> b. having a bland or mellow rather than a sharp or acid taste c. (1) not bright or glaring ; subdued (2) having or producing little contrast or a relatively short range of tones <a soft photographic print> d. quiet in pitch or volume e. of the eyes having a liquid or gentle appearance f. smooth or delicate in texture, grain, or fiber <soft cashmere> <soft fur> g. (1) balmy, mild, or clement in weather or temperature (2) moving or falling with slight force or impact ; not violent <soft breezes> 2. demanding little work or effort ; easy <a soft job> 3. a. sounding as in ace and gem respectively — used of c and g or their sound b. of a consonant voiced c. constituting a vowel before which there is a y sound or a y-like modification of a consonant or constituting a consonant in whose articulation there is a y-like modification or which is followed by a y sound (as in Russian) 4. archaic moving in a leisurely manner 5. rising gradually <a soft slope> 6. having curved or rounded outline ; not harsh or jagged <soft hills against the horizon> 7. marked by a gentleness, kindness, or tenderness: as a. (1) not harsh or onerous in character <a policy of soft competition> (2) based on negotiation, conciliation, or flexibility rather than on force, threats, or intransigence <took a soft line during the crisis> (3) tending to take a soft line — usually used with on <soft on dictators> <soft on law and order> b. tending to ingratiate or disarm ; engaging, kind <a soft answer turns away wrath — Proverbs
15:1 (Revised Standard Version)> c. marked by mildness ; unassuming, low-key 8. a. emotionally suggestible or responsive ; impressionable b. unduly susceptible to influence ; compliant c. lacking firmness or strength of character ; feeble, unmanly d. amorously attracted or emotionally involved — used with on <has been soft on her for years> 9. a. lacking robust strength, stamina, or endurance especially because of living in ease or luxury <grown soft and indolent> b. weak or deficient mentally <soft in the head> 10. a. yielding to physical pressure b. permitting someone or something to sink in — used of wet ground c. (1) of a consistency that may be shaped or molded (2) capable of being spread d. easily magnetized and demagnetized e. lacking relatively or comparatively in hardness <soft iron> 11. deficient in or free from substances (as calcium and magnesium salts) that prevent lathering of soap <soft water> 12. having relatively low energy <soft X-rays> 13. of news relatively less serious or significant 14. occurring at such a speed and under such circumstances as to avoid destructive impact <soft landing of a spacecraft on the moon> 15. not protected against enemy attack <a soft aboveground launching site> <soft targets> 16. biodegradable <a soft detergent> <soft pesticides> 17. of a drug considered less detrimental than a hard narcotic 18. easily polarized — used of acids and bases 19. a. of currency not readily convertible b. of a loan not secured by collateral 20. a. being low due to sluggish market conditions <soft prices> b. sluggish, slow <a soft market> 21. not firmly committed <soft unreliable political support> 22. soft-core <soft porn> 23. a. being or based on interpretive or speculative data <soft evidence> b. utilizing or based on soft data <soft science> 24. being or using renewable sources of energy (as solar radiation, wind, or tides) <soft technologies> 25. of money contributed (as by a corporation) to a political party rather than directly to a particular candidate • softish adjective • softly adverb • softness noun II. adverb Date: before 12th century in a soft or gentle manner ; softly III. noun Date: 15th century a soft object, material, or part <the soft of the thumb>

Oxford Reference Dictionary

adj., adv., & n. --adj. 1 (of a substance, material, etc.) lacking hardness or firmness; yielding to pressure; easily cut. 2 (of cloth etc.) having a smooth surface or texture; not rough or coarse. 3 (of air etc.) mellow, mild, balmy; not noticeably cold or hot. 4 (of water) free from mineral salts and therefore good for lathering. 5 (of a light or colour etc.) not brilliant or glaring. 6 (of a voice or sounds) gentle and pleasing. 7 Phonet. a (of a consonant) sibilant or palatal (as c in ice, g in age). b voiced or unaspirated. 8 (of an outline etc.) not sharply defined. 9 (of an action or manner etc.) gentle, conciliatory, complimentary, amorous. 10 (of the heart or feelings etc.) compassionate, sympathetic. 11 (of a person's character or attitude etc.) feeble, lenient, silly, sentimental. 12 colloq. (of a job etc.) easy. 13 (of drugs) mild; not likely to cause addiction. 14 (of radiation) having little penetrating power. 15 (also soft-core) (of pornography) suggestive or erotic but not explicit. 16 Stock Exch. (of currency, prices, etc.) likely to fall in value. 17 Polit. moderate; willing to compromise (the soft left). 18 peaceful (soft slumbers). 19 Brit. (of the weather etc.) rainy or moist or thawing. --adv. softly (play soft). --n. a silly weak person. Phrases and idioms: be soft on colloq. 1 be lenient towards. 2 be infatuated with. have a soft spot for be fond of or affectionate towards (a person). soft answer a good-tempered answer to abuse or an accusation. soft-boiled (of an egg) lightly boiled with the yolk soft or liquid. soft-centred (of a person) soft-hearted, sentimental. soft coal bituminous coal. soft detergent a biodegradable detergent. soft drink a non-alcoholic drink. soft focus Photog. the slight deliberate blurring of a picture. soft fruit Brit. small stoneless fruit (strawberry, currant, etc.). soft furnishings Brit. curtains, rugs, etc. soft goods Brit. textiles. soft-headed feeble-minded. soft-headedness feeble-mindedness. soft-land make a soft landing . soft landing a landing by a spacecraft without its suffering major damage. soft option the easier alternative. soft palate the rear part of the palate. soft-paste denoting an 'artificial' porcelain containing glassy materials and fired at a comparatively low temperature. soft pedal a pedal on a piano that makes the tone softer. soft-pedal v.tr. & (often foll. by on) intr. (-pedalled, -pedalling; US -pedaled, -pedaling) 1 refrain from emphasizing; be restrained (about). 2 play with the soft pedal down. soft roe see ROE(1). soft sell restrained or subtly persuasive salesmanship. soft-sell v.tr. (past and past part. -sold) sell by this method. soft soap 1 a semifluid soap made with potash. 2 colloq. persuasive flattery. soft-soap v.tr. colloq. persuade (a person) with flattery. soft-spoken speaking with a gentle voice. soft sugar granulated or powdered sugar. soft tack bread or other good food (opp. hard tack). soft tissues tissues of the body that are not bony or cartilaginous. soft touch colloq. a gullible person, esp. over money. soft wicket a wicket with moist or sodden turf. Derivatives: softish adj. softness n. Etymology: OE softe agreeable, earlier sefte f. WG

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Soft Soft, a. [Compar. Softer; superl. Softest.] [OE. softe, AS. s?fte, properly adv. of s?fte, adj.; akin to OS. s[=a]fto, adv., D. zacht, OHG. samfto, adv., semfti, adj., G. sanft, LG. sacht; of uncertain origin.] 1. Easily yielding to pressure; easily impressed, molded, or cut; not firm in resisting; impressible; yielding; also, malleable; -- opposed to hard; as, a soft bed; a soft peach; soft earth; soft wood or metal. 2. Not rough, rugged, or harsh to the touch; smooth; delicate; fine; as, soft silk; a soft skin. They that wear soft clothing are in king's houses. --Matt. xi. 8. 3. Hence, agreeable to feel, taste, or inhale; not irritating to the tissues; as, a soft liniment; soft wines. ``The soft, delicious air.'' --Milton. 4. Not harsh or offensive to the sight; not glaring; pleasing to the eye; not exciting by intensity of color or violent contrast; as, soft hues or tints. The sun, shining upon the upper part of the clouds . . . made the softest lights imaginable. --Sir T. Browne. 5. Not harsh or rough in sound; gentle and pleasing to the ear; flowing; as, soft whispers of music. Her voice was ever soft, Gentle, and low, -- an excellent thing in woman. --Shak. Soft were my numbers; who could take offense? --Pope. 6. Easily yielding; susceptible to influence; flexible; gentle; kind. I would to God my heart were flint, like Edward's; Or Edward's soft and pitiful, like mine. --Shak. The meek or soft shall inherit the earth. --Tyndale. 7. Expressing gentleness, tenderness, or the like; mild; conciliatory; courteous; kind; as, soft eyes. A soft answer turneth away wrath. --Prov. xv. 1. A face with gladness overspread, Soft smiles, by human kindness bred. --Wordsworth. 8. Effeminate; not courageous or manly, weak. A longing after sensual pleasures is a dissolution of the spirit of a man, and makes it loose, soft, and wandering. --Jer. Taylor. 9. Gentle in action or motion; easy. On her soft axle, white she paces even, And bears thee soft with the smooth air along. --Milton. 10. Weak in character; impressible. The deceiver soon found this soft place of Adam's. --Glanvill. 11. Somewhat weak in intellect. [Colloq.] He made soft fellows stark noddies, and such as were foolish quite mad. --Burton. 12. Quiet; undisturbed; paceful; as, soft slumbers. 13. Having, or consisting of, a gentle curve or curves; not angular or abrupt; as, soft outlines. 14. Not tinged with mineral salts; adapted to decompose soap; as, soft water is the best for washing. 15. (Phonetics) (a) Applied to a palatal, a sibilant, or a dental consonant (as g in gem, c in cent, etc.) as distinguished from a guttural mute (as g in go, c in cone, etc.); -- opposed to hard. (b) Belonging to the class of sonant elements as distinguished from the surd, and considered as involving less force in utterance; as, b, d, g, z, v, etc., in contrast with p, t, k, s, f, etc. Soft clam (Zo["o]l.), the common or long clam (Mya arenaria). See Mya. Soft coal, bituminous coal, as distinguished from anthracite, or hard, coal. Soft crab (Zo["o]l.), any crab which has recently shed its shell. Soft dorsal (Zo["o]l.), the posterior part of the dorsal fin of fishes when supported by soft rays. Soft grass. (Bot.) See Velvet grass. Soft money, paper money, as distinguished from coin, or hard money. [Colloq. U.S.] Soft mute. (Phonetics) See Media. Soft palate. See the Note under Palate. Soft ray (Zo["o]l.), a fin ray which is articulated and usually branched. Soft soap. See under Soap. Soft-tack, leavened bread, as distinguished from hard-tack, or ship bread. Soft tortoise (Zo["o]l.), any river tortoise of the genus Trionyx. See Trionyx.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Soft Soft, n. A soft or foolish person; an idiot. [Colloq.] --G. Eliot.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Soft Soft, adv. Softly; without roughness or harshness; gently; quietly. --Chaucer. A knight soft riding toward them. --Spenser.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Soft Soft, interj. Be quiet; hold; stop; not so fast.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

(softer, softest) Frequency: The word is one of the 1500 most common words in English. 1. Something that is soft is pleasant to touch, and not rough or hard. Regular use of a body lotion will keep the skin soft and supple... ...warm, soft, white towels. ? rough ADJ • softness The sea air robbed her hair of its softness. 2. Something that is soft changes shape or bends easily when you press it. She lay down on the soft, comfortable bed... Add enough milk to form a soft dough. ...soft cheese. ? hard, firm ADJ 3. Something that has a soft appearance has smooth curves rather than sharp or distinct edges. This is a smart, yet soft and feminine look. ...the soft curves of her body. = gentle ? hard ADJ • softly She wore a softly tailored suit. ...a fresh, modern hairstyle which has long layers falling softly on the neck. ADV: ADV with v 4. Something that is soft is very gentle and has no force. For example, a soft sound or voice is quiet and not harsh. A soft light or colour is pleasant to look at because it is not bright. There was a soft tapping on my door... When he woke again he could hear soft music. = gentle ADJ • softly She crossed the softly lit room... She bent forward and kissed him softly. ADV: ADV with v 5. If you are soft on someone, you do not treat them as strictly or severely as you should do. The president says the measure is soft and weak on criminals... ? hard ADJ: usu v-link ADJ, oft ADJ on n [disapproval] 6. If you say that someone has a soft heart, you mean that they are sensitive and sympathetic towards other people. Her rather tough and worldly exterior hides a very soft and sensitive heart. ? hard ADJ [approval] 7. You use soft to describe a way of life that is easy and involves very little work. The regime at Latchmere could be seen as a soft option... = easy ? hard ADJ 8. Soft drugs are drugs, such as cannabis, which are illegal but which many people do not consider to be strong or harmful. ADJ: ADJ n 9. A soft target is a place or person that can easily be attacked. Women who carry cash about in the streets, as they very often have to, are a very soft target. = easy ADJ 10. Soft water does not contain much of the mineral calcium and so makes bubbles easily when you use soap. ? hard ADJ 11. If you have a soft spot for someone or something, you feel a great deal of affection for them or like them a lot. Terry had a soft spot for me... a soft touch: see touch PHRASE: PHR after v, PHR n

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

I. a. 1. Impressible, yielding. 2. Plastic, pliable, easily moulded, malleable. 3. Smooth, delicate, fine. 4. Compliant, submissive, irresolute, facile, flexible, impressible, weak, undecided. 5. Mild, gentle, bland, kind, lenient, tender. 6. Tender, timid, timorous, fearful, shy. 7. Civil, complaisant, courteous, polite, polished. 8. Delicate, tender. 9. Gentle, steady, even, smooth-going, easy, quiet. 10. Gentle, easy, quiet, undisturbed. 11. Effeminate, unmanly, nice, luxurious. 12. Simple, silly, foolish, weak. 13. Quiet, delicate. 14. Mellifluous, dulcet, clear, flowing, smooth, gentle, melodious, pleasing. II. ad. Gently, quietly, softly. III. interj. Hold, stop, not so fast.

Moby Thesaurus

Mickey Mouse, accented, accepting, adoring, affectionate, afraid, alveolar, anemic, apical, apico-alveolar, apico-dental, articulated, assimilated, asthenic, at peace, baccate, back, balmy, barely audible, barytone, bathetic, beery, benign, bilabial, bland, bleeding, bloodless, blurred, blurry, borderline, broad, cacuminal, calm, careless, casual, central, cerebral, charitable, checked, chicken, chickenhearted, clear, clement, close, cloying, comfortable, comfy, commiserative, commodious, compassionate, complaisant, compressible, concordant, condolent, conjugal, consonant, consonantal, contented, continuant, convenient, cottony, coward, cowardly, cowed, cozy, creamy, cullible, cushioned, cushiony, cushy, daft, dainty, daunted, debilitated, deceivable, declining, decrescendo, deferential, delicate, deludable, demonstrative, dental, depressed, devoted, diffused, dim, dirty, dismayed, dissimilated, distant, docile, dorsal, doughy, downy, drooping, droopy, dull, dupable, easeful, easy, easy as pie, easygoing, effeminate, effete, effortless, eggshell, emotionable, etiolated, exploitable, facile, faint, faint-voiced, fainthearted, faintish, faithful, fatuous, fearful, feathery, feeble, feebleminded, filial, fine, flabby, flaccid, flat, fleecy, fleshy, flexible, flexile, flexuous, floppy, fluffy, foggy, fond, foolable, foolish, forbearant, forbearing, forceless, forgiving, formless, frail, friendly, front, funking, funky, furry, fuzzy, gentle, glib, glide, gloss, glossal, glottal, gone, gone to seed, gooey, green, gullible, gushing, gutless, guttural, halcyon, half-heard, hard, harmless, heavy, henhearted, high, hoaxable, homelike, homely, homey, hoodwinkable, human, humane, humbugable, husbandly, idyllic, imbecile, impotent, imprecise, impressionable, indifferent, indistinct, indulgent, infirm, ingenuous, intimidated, intonated, iridescent, judicious, kind, labial, labiodental, labiovelar, languid, languishing, languorous, lateral, lax, lazy, lenient, liberal, light, lily-livered, limber, limp, lingual, liquid, listless, lived-in, loose, lovelorn, lovesick, lovesome, loving, low, low-key, lustless, luxurious, macerated, malleable, marrowless, masticated, maternal, matte, maudlin, mawkish, mellifluent, mellifluous, mellow, mellowy, melodious, melting, merciful, mid, mild, mild as milk, milk-livered, milksoppish, milksoppy, miry, moderate, mollified, monophthongal, mother-of-pearl, mousy, mucky, muddy, muliebrous, murmured, mushy, muted, nacreous, naive, namby-pamby, narrow, nasal, nasalized, negligent, nerveless, nonalcoholic, nonintoxicating, nonresistive, nonrigid, nonviolent, nostalgic, nostomanic, nothing to it, occlusive, off, old-womanish, on the downgrade, oozy, opalescent, open, opulent, orderly, out of condition, out of shape, out of training, overindulgent, overpermissive, oversentimental, oversentimentalized, overtimid, overtimorous, oxytone, pacific, pacifistic, painless, palatal, palatalized, pale, pampered, panic-prone, panicky, pappy, parental, passible, pastel, pastoral, pasty, paternal, patient, patinaed, peaceable, peaceful, peacetime, pearly, permissive, persuadable, pharyngeal, pharyngealized, phonemic, phonetic, phonic, pianissimo, piano, pigeonhearted, piping, pitch, pitched, pithless, pithy, pitying, plain, plashy, plastic, pleasant, pliable, pliant, plush, plushy, pooped, posh, posttonic, powerless, prissy, prudent, pulpal, pulpar, pulped, pulplike, pulpy, puny, quaggy, questionable, quiet, rabbity, receptive, relaxed, relaxing, remiss, reposeful, responsive, restful, retroflex, rich, ritzy, romantic, roomy, rounded, rubbery, run to seed, rusty, ruthful, sad, sapless, satiny, scarcely heard, seduceable, semigloss, semivowel, sensible, sensitive, sentimental, sentimentalized, serene, silken, silky, silly, simple, simple as ABC, sinewless, sissified, sissy, sissyish, slabby, slack, sleek, slipping, slipshod, slobby, sloppy, sloshy, sloughy, slow, sludgy, slushy, smooth, snug, sober, soft as putty, soft-colored, soft-hued, soft-sounding, soft-voiced, softened, softhearted, somber, sonant, soothing, spineless, splashy, spongy, sposhy, springlike, squashy, squelchy, squishy, squushy, sticky, stiff, stopped, straightforward, strengthless, stressed, strong, subaudible, subdued, submissive, subtle, succulent, summery, supple, surd, susceptible, swanky, sweet, syllabic, sympathetic, sympathizing, tame, tear-jerking, teary, temperate, tender, tenderhearted, tense, thick, throaty, timid, timorous, tolerant, tonal, tonic, tranquil, turbid, twangy, unaccented, unburdensome, unclear, uncomplicated, undemanding, understanding, unhardened, uninebriating, unmanly, unmanned, unnerved, unprofitable, unrestrained, unrounded, unsophisticated, unstressed, unstrung, untroubled, uxorious, velar, velvety, victimizable, vocalic, vocoid, voiced, voiceless, vowel, vowellike, warm, warmhearted, weak, weak-kneed, weak-minded, weak-voiced, weakhearted, weakly, whisper-soft, whispered, white-livered, wide, wifely, witless, womanish, woolly, workable, yellow, yielding