'Soften' definitions:
Definition of 'soften'
(from WordNet)
verb
Make (images or sounds) soft or softer [ant: sharpen]
verb
Lessen in force or effect; "soften a shock"; "break a fall" [syn: dampen, damp, soften, weaken, break]
verb
verb
verb
Make less severe or harsh; "He moderated his tone when the students burst out in tears" [syn: mince, soften, moderate]
verb
verb
Definition of 'Soften'
From: GCIDE
- Soften \Sof"ten\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Softened; p. pr. & vb. n. Softening.] To make soft or more soft. Specifically: [1913 Webster] (a) To render less hard; -- said of matter. [1913 Webster]
- Their arrow's point they soften in the flame. --Gay. [1913 Webster] (b) To mollify; to make less fierce or intractable. [1913 Webster]
- Diffidence conciliates the proud, and softens the severe. --Rambler. [1913 Webster] (c) To palliate; to represent as less enormous; as, to soften a fault. [1913 Webster] (d) To compose; to mitigate; to assuage. [1913 Webster]
- Music can soften pain to ease. --Pope. [1913 Webster] (e) To make calm and placid. [1913 Webster]
- All that cheers or softens life. --Pope. [1913 Webster] (f) To make less harsh, less rude, less offensive, or less violent, or to render of an opposite quality. [1913 Webster]
- He bore his great commision in his look, But tempered awe, and softened all he spoke. --Dryden. [1913 Webster] (g) To make less glaring; to tone down; as, to soften the coloring of a picture. [1913 Webster] (h) To make tender; to make effeminate; to enervate; as, troops softened by luxury. [1913 Webster] (i) To make less harsh or grating, or of a quality the opposite; as, to soften the voice. [1913 Webster]
Definition of 'Soften'
From: GCIDE
- Soften \Sof"ten\, v. i. To become soft or softened, or less rude, harsh, severe, or obdurate. [1913 Webster]
Synonyms of 'soften'
From: Moby Thesaurus
- abate,
- absorb the shock,
- adjust to,
- affect,
- agree,
- allay,
- alleviate,
- allow for,
- alter,
- anesthetize,
- appease,
- assent,
- assuage,
- attemper,
- baffle,
- bank the fire,
- benumb,
- blunt,
- blur,
- box in,
- break the fall,
- castrate,
- chasten,
- circumscribe,
- color,
- come home to,
- concur,
- condition,
- consent,
- constrain,
- control,
- cushion,
- damp,
- dampen,
- de-emphasize,
- deaden,
- deaden the pain,
- deafen,
- decry,
- defocus,
- demasculinize,
- devaluate,
- devalue,
- dim,
- diminish,
- downplay,
- dull,
- ease,
- ease matters,
- ease up,
- effeminate,
- effeminatize,
- effeminize,
- emasculate,
- extenuate,
- film,
- fluff,
- fog,
- foment,
- geld,
- gentle,
- give in,
- give relief,
- give way,
- gloss over,
- go deep,
- go through one,
- grieve,
- hedge,
- hedge about,
- ignore,
- keep within bounds,
- knead,
- laxate,
- lay,
- leaven,
- lenify,
- lessen,
- let up,
- lighten,
- limber,
- limber up,
- limit,
- loosen,
- lose resolution,
- lower,
- lull,
- make allowance for,
- mark down,
- mash,
- massage,
- mellow,
- melt,
- melt the heart,
- milden,
- mince,
- mist,
- mitigate,
- moderate,
- modify,
- modulate,
- mollify,
- move,
- muffle,
- mute,
- narrow,
- neutralize,
- numb,
- obtund,
- offset,
- pad,
- pale,
- palliate,
- penetrate,
- pierce,
- play down,
- plump,
- poultice,
- pour balm into,
- pour oil on,
- pulp,
- qualify,
- quell,
- quiet,
- quieten,
- reach,
- reduce,
- reduce the temperature,
- regulate by,
- relax,
- relieve,
- restrain,
- restrict,
- sadden,
- salve,
- season,
- set conditions,
- set limits,
- shake up,
- show consideration,
- show mercy,
- show pity,
- sissify,
- slacken,
- slake,
- slow down,
- slur over,
- smart,
- smash,
- smother,
- sober,
- sober down,
- soft-pedal,
- soften the blow,
- soften up,
- soothe,
- squash,
- stifle,
- still,
- sting,
- stir,
- stop,
- stupe,
- subdue,
- succumb,
- supple,
- suppress,
- surrender,
- tame,
- temper,
- tenderize,
- tone down,
- touch,
- touch a chord,
- tune down,
- turn down,
- underplay,
- underrate,
- undervalue,
- varnish,
- weaken,
- whitewash,
- womanize,
- write down,
- write off,
- yield