Soft \Soft\ (s[o^]ft; 115), a. [Compar. {Softer}
(s[o^]ft"[~e]r); superl. {Softest}.] [OE. softe, AS.
s[=o]fte, properly adv. of s[=e]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.
[1913 Webster]
2. Not rough, rugged, or harsh to the touch; smooth;
delicate; fine; as, soft silk; a soft skin.
[1913 Webster]
They that wear soft clothing are in king's houses.
--Matt. xi. 8.
[1913 Webster]
3. Hence, agreeable to feel, taste, or inhale; not irritating
to the tissues; as, a soft liniment; soft wines. "The
soft, delicious air." --Milton.
[1913 Webster]
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.
[1913 Webster]
The sun, shining upon the upper part of the clouds .
. . made the softest lights imaginable. --Sir T.
Browne.
[1913 Webster]
5. Not harsh or rough in sound; gentle and pleasing to the
ear; flowing; as, soft whispers of music.
[1913 Webster]
Her voice was ever soft,
Gentle, and low, -- an excellent thing in woman.
--Shak.
[1913 Webster]
Soft were my numbers; who could take offense?
--Pope.
[1913 Webster]
6. Easily yielding; susceptible to influence; flexible;
gentle; kind.
[1913 Webster]
I would to God my heart were flint, like Edward's;
Or Edward's soft and pitiful, like mine. --Shak.
[1913 Webster]
The meek or soft shall inherit the earth. --Tyndale.
[1913 Webster]
7. Expressing gentleness, tenderness, or the like; mild;
conciliatory; courteous; kind; as, soft eyes.
[1913 Webster]
A soft answer turneth away wrath. --Prov. xv. 1.
[1913 Webster]
A face with gladness overspread,
Soft smiles, by human kindness bred. --Wordsworth.
[1913 Webster]
8. Effeminate; not courageous or manly, weak.
[1913 Webster]
A longing after sensual pleasures is a dissolution
of the spirit of a man, and makes it loose, soft,
and wandering. --Jer. Taylor.
[1913 Webster]
9. Gentle in action or motion; easy.
[1913 Webster]
On her soft axle, white she paces even,
And bears thee soft with the smooth air along.
--Milton.
[1913 Webster]
10. Weak in character; impressible.
[1913 Webster]
The deceiver soon found this soft place of Adam's.
--Glanvill.
[1913 Webster]
11. Somewhat weak in intellect. [Colloq.]
[1913 Webster]
He made soft fellows stark noddies, and such as
were foolish quite mad. --Burton.
[1913 Webster]
12. Quiet; undisturbed; paceful; as, soft slumbers.
[1913 Webster]
13. Having, or consisting of, a gentle curve or curves; not
angular or abrupt; as, soft outlines.
[1913 Webster]
14. Not tinged with mineral salts; adapted to decompose soap;
as, soft water is the best for washing.
[1913 Webster]
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.
[1913 Webster]
{Soft clam} (Zool.), the common or long clam ({Mya arenaria}). See {Mya}.
{Soft coal}, bituminous coal, as distinguished from
anthracite, or hard, coal.
{Soft crab} (Zool.), any crab which has recently shed its
shell.
{Soft dorsal} (Zool.), 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} (Zool.), 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} (Zool.), any river tortoise of the genus
Trionyx. See {Trionyx}.
[1913 Webster]
|
