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 eof 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 bof 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)4archaic : moving in a leisurely manner5: 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>13of news : relatively less serious or significant14: 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>17of a drug : considered less detrimental than a hard narcotic18: easily polarized —used of acids and bases19 aof currency : not readily convertible bof a loan : not secured by collateral20 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>25of 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