Etymology From Middle English softe, from Old English sōfte, alteration of earlier sēfte (“soft”), from Proto-West Germanic *samft(ī) (“level, even, smooth, soft, gentle”) (compare *sōmiz (“agreeable, fitting”)), from Proto-Indo-European *semptio-, *semtio-, from *sem- (“one, whole”). Cognate with West Frisian sêft (“gentle; soft”), Dutch zacht (“soft”), German Low German sacht (“soft”), German sanft (“soft, yielding”), Old Norse sœmr (“agreeable, fitting”), samr (“same”). More at seem, same.
My favorite Greek cheese is the creamy, sheepy manouri: delicately scented and almost spreadable, it’s like a softer, pudgier feta.2007 September 9, Sara Dickerman, “Olympic Dinners”, in The New York Times, archived from the original on 22 Jun 2017:
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[…] Category Two implement hitches and doubled high-traction agricultural tires hung four to each massive rear axle to breast the steepest, softest dune or guckiest swamp […]2010, Robert Beeman, No More Time for Sorrow, page 133:
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Of cloth or similar material Smooth and flexible; not rough, rugged, or harsh.
Polish the silver with a soft cloth to avoid scratching.
soft silk; a soft skin
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They that wear soft clothing are in kings' houses.1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Matthew 11:8:
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Of a sound Quiet.
I could hear the soft rustle of the leaves in the trees.
Her voice was ever soft, / Gentle, and low, — an excellent thing in woman.c. 1603–1606, William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of King Lear”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act V, scene iii]:
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Gentle.
There was a soft breeze blowing.
I would to God my heart were flint, like Edward's; / Or Edward's soft and pitiful, like mine.c. 1593 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedy of Richard the Third: […]”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene iii]:
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The meek or soft shall inherit the earth.c. 1533, William Tyndale, An exposicion upon of Mathew:
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Expressing gentleness or tenderness; mild; conciliatory; courteous; kind.
soft eyes
A soft answer turneth away wrath.1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Proverbs 15:1:
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A face with gladness overspread, / Soft smiles, by human kindness bred.1815, William Wordsworth, To a Highland Girl:
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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.1667, John Milton, “Book VIII”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC:
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Limp, weak.
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Weak in character; impressible.
The deceiver soon found this soft place of Adam's.1665, Joseph Glanvill, Scepsis Scientifica: Or, Confest Ignorance, the Way to Science; […], London: […] E. C[otes] for Henry Eversden […], →OCLC:
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Requiring little or no effort; easy.
Before that they had been a good deal on the move, trekking about after the white man, who was one of those rolling stones that keep going round after a soft job.1892, Robert Louis Stevenson, The Beach of Falesá:
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Not bright or intense.
soft lighting
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Having a slight angle from straight.
At the intersection with two roads going left, take the soft left.
It's important to dance on soft knees to avoid injury.
Slang Excessively empathetic or concerned about others’ wellbeing.
He’s too soft for the ruthless world of finance.
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Slang Lacking strength or resolve; not tough, wimpy.
When it comes to drinking, he is as soft as they come.
‘Going soft on me, Jack?’ ‘You know I’m not.’ ‘Then why all the fuss and blow?’1932, Delos W. Lovelace, King Kong, published 1965, page 31:
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Warden Kuril: Every day I see the worst sapient life has to offer. Governments are soft, unwilling to make the hard choices. Warden Kuril: Someone had to stand up and make the galaxy safe.2010, BioWare, Mass Effect 2 (Science Fiction), Redwood City: Electronic Arts, →OCLC, PC, scene: Prison Ship Purgatory:
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Of water Low in dissolved calcium compounds.
You won't need as much soap, as the water here is very soft.
He made soft fellows stark noddies, and such as were foolish quite mad.1621, Robert Burton, The Essential Anatomy of Melancholy:
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Natural sciences, Physical sciences, Physics Of a ferromagnetic material; a material that becomes essentially non-magnetic when an external magnetic field is removed, a material with a low magnetic coercivity. (compare hard)
A longing after sensual pleasures is a dissolution of the spirit of a man, and makes it loose, soft, and wandering.1650, Jeremy Taylor, The Rule and Exercises of Holy Living:
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Agreeable to the senses.
a soft liniment
soft wines
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the soft, delicious air1667, John Milton, “Book II”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC:
And then there'll be the insurance people. And then a young man introducing himself as "The Press". I'll tell you what, sergeant, this being burgled isn't such a soft thing after all.1927, Ernest Bramah [pseudonym; Ernest Brammah Smith], Max Carrados Mysteries:
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Not harsh or offensive to the sight; not glaring or jagged; pleasing to the eye.
soft colours
the soft outline of the snow-covered hill
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The sun, shining upon the upper part of the clouds […] made the softest lights imaginable.1673, Edward Browne, A Brief Account of some Travels in Hungaria, Styria, Bulgaria, Thessaly, Austria, Serbia, Carynthia, Carniola, and Friuli:
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Arts, Hobbies, Lifestyle, PhotographyOf light Made up of nonparallel rays, tending to wrap around a subject and produce diffuse shadows.
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Incomplete, or temporary; not a full action.
The admin imposed a soft ban on the user.
Messages removed by soft deletion can be recovered if necessary.
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Computing, Engineering, Mathematics, Natural sciences, Physical sciences, Sciences Emulated with software; not physically real.
Press the red button on the soft phone to hang up.
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Of a drug Not likely to cause addiction.
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Of a drink Not containing alcohol.
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Easy-going, lenient, not strict; permissive.
soft on crime
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Business, Finance Of a market: having more supply than demand; being a buyer's market.
Overall the rental market is soft and multifamily permit activity is almost nonexistent.1995, U.S. Housing Market Conditions, page 45:
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Of pornography Softcore
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Of kinks or sexual activity Mild, tame, moderate; far from intense or excluding harsh elements.
soft humiliation play
soft raceplay
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soft vore
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Of paper: unsized.
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Of silk: having the natural gum cleaned or washed off.
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Of coal: bituminous, as opposed to anthracitic.
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Of weather: warm enough to melt ice; thawing.
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Idiomatic, Informal, Followed by on Attracted to or emotionally involved with someone.
All along, Nickle, I have tried to make you realise that this stroke was not to be a matter of planting a few soft fivers on racecourse bookies—I used to think that you had imagination. We intend to make notes of all the values and chiefly of the big ones.1934, Ernest Bramah, The Bravo of London:
Etymology From Middle English softe, from Old English sōfte, alteration of earlier sēfte (“soft”), from Proto-West Germanic *samft(ī) (“level, even, smooth, soft, gentle”) (compare *sōmiz (“agreeable, fitting”)), from Proto-Indo-European *semptio-, *semtio-, from *sem- (“one, whole”). Cognate with West Frisian sêft (“gentle; soft”), Dutch zacht (“soft”), German Low German sacht (“soft”), German sanft (“soft, yielding”), Old Norse sœmr (“agreeable, fitting”), samr (“same”). More at seem, same.
Soft you; a word or two before you goe: / I haue done the State ſome ſeruice, and they know’t: / No more of that.c. 1603–1604 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Othello, the Moore of Venice”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act V, scene ii], page 338, column 2:
But ſoft, what light through yonder window breaks?c. 1591–1595 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Romeo and Ivliet”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene ii], page 59, column 1:
soft
noun
Etymology From Middle English softe, from Old English sōfte, alteration of earlier sēfte (“soft”), from Proto-West Germanic *samft(ī) (“level, even, smooth, soft, gentle”) (compare *sōmiz (“agreeable, fitting”)), from Proto-Indo-European *semptio-, *semtio-, from *sem- (“one, whole”). Cognate with West Frisian sêft (“gentle; soft”), Dutch zacht (“soft”), German Low German sacht (“soft”), German sanft (“soft, yielding”), Old Norse sœmr (“agreeable, fitting”), samr (“same”). More at seem, same.
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Archaic A soft-headed or foolish person; an idiot.
It'll do you no good to sit in a spring-cart o' your own, if you've got a soft to drive you: he'll soon turn you over into the ditch.1859, George Eliot [pseudonym; Mary Ann Evans], chapter 9, in Adam Bede […], volume I, Edinburgh; London: William Blackwood and Sons, →OCLC, book first:
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A soft drink.
Artois' story with water and softs was embodied in the difficult relationship between Raymond Boon and Spa's main owner and CEO, Guy du Bois.2019, Kenneth Bertrams, Julien Del Marmol, Sander Geerts, Becoming the World's Biggest Brewer:
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Hobbies, Lifestyle, Motor racing, Racing, Sports A tyre whose compound is softer than mediums, and harder than supersofts.
The expander doesn't really make the louds louder and the softs softer in one step […]2012, Sam McGuire, Paul Lee, The Video Editor's Guide to Soundtrack Pro, page 103:
Sega and third-party licensees are set to release an abundance of softs that range from intense shooters to sports to reflex-testers.December 1989, Electronic Gaming Monthly
At the end of the two years and a half I got into the way of forged Bank-of-England notes. A man I knew in the course of business, said, ‘I would cut that game of ‘smatter-hauling,’ (stealing handkerchiefs), and do a little soft,’ (pass bad notes).1851, Henry Mayhew, London Labour and the London Poor, published 1861:
Putting his mouth to my ear, he whispered hoarsely. "Do you want to buy any queer soft?" […] In my dream I had been haunted by a counterfeiter, vulgarly called "a smasher."1876, The Guernsey Magazine, volume 4:
soft
adv
Etymology From Middle English softe, from Old English sōfte (“softly”), from Proto-West Germanic *samftō (“softly”).
1
Obsolete Softly; without roughness or harshness; gently; quietly.
A Knight soft ryding towards them they spyde1596, Edmund Spenser, “Book IV, Canto VI”, in The Faerie Queene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie, →OCLC, stanza 9:
There was a neat hat-and-umbrella stand, and the stranger's weary feet fell soft on a good, serviceable dark-red drugget, which matched in colour the flock-paper on the walls.1913, Mrs. [Marie] Belloc Lowndes, chapter II, in The Lodger, London: Methuen, →OCLC; republished in Novels of Mystery: The Lodger; The Story of Ivy; What Really Happened, New York, N.Y.: Longmans, Green and Co., […], [1933], →OCLC, page 0091: