Main Entry: ¹soft

Pronunciation: \ˈsȯft\

Function: adjective

Etymology: Middle English, from Old English sōfte, alteration of sēfte; 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

— soft·ish \ˈsȯf-tish\ adjective

— soft·ly \ˈsȯf(t)-lē\ adverb

— soft·ness \ˈsȯf(t)-nəs\ noun