soft-sawder
verb1
To flatter or cajole.
soft sawder
nounalso spelled soft-sawderEtymology Phonetic spelling of soft solder; that is, solder that melts at a lower temperature. Coined by Thomas Haliburton in the short story "The Trotting Horse" (1836). Popular in the 19th century, but out of common use by 1950.
- 1836, Thomas Haliburton, "The Trotting Horse" (1836) — first usage If she goes to act ugly, I'll give her a dose of "soft sawder"; that will take the frown out of her frontispiece...!
- A sorrowful spectacle to men of reflection, during the time he lasted, that poor M. de Lamartine; with nothing in him but melodious wind and soft sawder, which he and others took for something divine and not diabolic!1850, Thomas Carlyle, “The present time”, in Latter-Day Pamphlets:
1 more example
- How the old boy swallowed my soft sawder and Brummagem notes!1863, Tom Taylor, The Ticket-of-Leave Man: