01 a. Easily yielding to pressure; easily impressed, molded, or cut; not firm in resisting; impressible; yielding; also, malleable; -- opposed to…
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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.
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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.
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3.
Hence, agreeable to feel, taste, or inhale; not irritating to the tissues; as, a soft liniment; soft wines.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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Gentle in action or motion; easy.“On her soft axle, white she paces even, And bears thee soft with the smooth air along.” — Milton.
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10.
Weak in character; impressible.“The deceiver soon found this soft place of Adam's.” — Glanvill.
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11.
Somewhat weak in intellect.[Colloq.]“He made soft fellows stark noddies, and such as were foolish quite mad.” — Burton.
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12.
Quiet; undisturbed; paceful; as, soft slumbers.
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13.
Having, or consisting of, a gentle curve or curves; not angular or abrupt; as, soft outlines.
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14.
Not tinged with mineral salts; adapted to decompose soap; as, soft water is the best for washing.
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15.
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.(Phonetics)
Phrases & compounds
Soft clam —
the common or long clam (Mya arenaria). See Mya.
Soft coal —
bituminous coal, as distinguished from anthracite, or hard, coal.
Soft crab —
any crab which has recently shed its shell.
Soft dorsal —
the posterior part of the dorsal fin of fishes when supported by soft rays.
Soft grass —
See Velvet grass.
Soft money —
paper money, as distinguished from coin, or hard money.
Soft mute —
See Media.
Soft palate —
See the Note under Palate.
Soft ray —
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 —
any river tortoise of the genus Trionyx. See Trionyx.