Category:Soft

Soft, a. [compar. Softer; superl. Softest.] Etym: [oe. softe, as. s, Properly adv. of s, adj.; akin to os. safto, 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 ant: 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 (zoöl.), the common or long clam (mya arenaria). See mya. -- soft coal, bituminous coal, as distinguished from anthracite, or Hard, coal. -- soft crab (zoöl.), any crab which has recently shed its shell. -- soft dorsal (zoöl.), 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 (zoöl.), 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 (zoöl.), any river tortoise of the genus trionyx. See trionyx.

Soft Soft, n.

Defn: a soft or foolish person; an idiot. [colloq.] G. Eliot.

Soft Soft, adv.

Defn: softly; without roughness or harshness; gently; quietly. Chaucer. A knight soft riding toward them. Spenser.

Soft Soft, interj.

Defn: be quiet; hold; stop; not so fast. Soft, you; a word or two before you go. Shak.