King James Bible Dictionary

SOFT, adjective

1. Easily yielding to pressure ; the contrary of hard; as a soft bed; a soft peach; soft earth.

2. Not hard; easily separated by an edged instrument; as soft wood. The chestnut is a soft wood, but more durable than hickory, with is a very hard wood. So we say, a soft stone, when it breaks or is hewed with ease.

3. Easily worked; malleable; as soft iron.

4. Not rough, rugged or harsh; smooth to the touch; delicate; as soft silk; soft raiment a soft skin.

5. Delicate; feminine; as the softer sex.

6. Easily yielding to persuasion or motives flexible; susceptible of influence or passion. In both these senses, soft is appiled to females, and sometimes males; as a divine of a soft and servile temper. One king is too soft and easy.

7. Tender; timorous. However soft within themselves they are, to you they will be valiant be despair.

8. Mild; gentle; kind; not severe or unfeeling; as a person of a soft nature.

9. Civil; complaisant; courteous; as a person of soft manners. He has a soft way of asking favors.

10. Placid; still; easy. On her soft axie while whe paces even, she bears thee soft with the smooth air along.

11. Effeminate; viciouly nice. An idle soft course of life is the source of crminal pleasures.

12. Delicate; elegantly tender. Her form more soft and feminine.

13. Weak; impressible. The deceive soon found this soft place of Adam's [Not elegant.]

14. Gentle; smooth or melodious to the ear. not loud, rough or harsh; as a soft voice or note; a soft sound; soft accents; soft whispers.

15. Smooth; flowing; not rough or vehement. The solemn nightingale tun'd her soft lays. soft were my numbers, who could take offense?

16. Easy; quiet; undisturbed; as soft slumbers.

17. Mild to the eye; not strong or glaring; as soft colors; the soft coloring of a picture. The sun shining on the upper part of the clounds, made the softes light imaginable.

18. Mild; warm; pleasant to the feelings; as soft air.

19. Not tinged with an acid; not hard; not astringent; as, soft water is the best for washing.

20. Mild; gentle; not rough, rude or irritating. A soft answer turneth away wrath. Proverbs 15:1.

SOFT, adverb Softly; gently; quietly.

SOFT, exclamation for be soft hold; stoop; not so fast. But, soft my muse, the world is wide.

SOFTEN, verb transitive sof'n.

1. To make soft or more soft; to make less hard. their arrow's point they soften in the flame.

2. To mollify; to make less fierce or intractable; to make more susceptible of humane or fine feelings; as, to soften a hard heart; to soften savage natures. The heart is softened by pity. Diffidence concilliates the proud, and softens the severe.

3. To make less harsh or severe; as, to soften an expression.

4. To palliate; to represent as less enormous; as, to soften a fault.

5. To make easy; to compose; to mitigate; to alleviate. Music can soften the pain to ease.

6. To make calm and placid. Bid her be all that cheers or softens life.

7. To make less harsh, less rude, less offensive or violent. But sweetly temper'd awe, and soften'd all be spoke.

8. To make less glaring; as, to soften the coloring of a picture.

9. To make tender; to make effeminate; to enervate; as troops softened by luxury.

10. To make less harsh or grating; as, to soften the voice.

SOFTEN, verb intransitive sof'n. To become less hard; to become more pliable and yielding to pressure; as, irion or wax softens in heat; fruits soften as they ripen.

2. To become less rude, harsh or cruel; as, savage natures soften by civilization.

3. To become less obstinate or obdurate; to become more susceptible of humane feelings and tenderness; to relent. The heart softens at the sight of woe.

4. To become more mild; as, the air softens.

5. To become less harsh, severe or rigorous.

SOFT'ENED, participle passive Made less hard or less harsh; made less obdurate or cruel, or less glaring.

SOFT'ENING, participle present tense Making more soft; making less rough or cruel, etc.

SOFT'ENING, noun The act of making less hard, less cruel or obdurate, less violent, less glaring. etc.

SOFT'HEARTED, adjective Having tenderness of heart; susceptible of pity or other kindly affection; gentle; meek.

SOFT'LING, noun An effeminate person; one vitiously nice. [Little used.]

SOFT'LY, adverb

1. Without hardness.

2. Not with force or violence; gently; as, be softly pressed my hand.

3. Not loudly; without noise; as, speak softly; walk softly In this dark silence softly leave the town.

4. Gently; placidly. She softly lays him on a flowery bed.

5. Mildly; tenderly. The king must die; though pity softly pleads within my soul.

SOFT'NER, noun

1. He or that which softens.

2. One that palliates.

SOFT'NESS, noun

1. The quality of bodies which renders them capable of yielding to pressure, or of easily receiving impressions from other bodies; opposed to hardness.

2. Susceptibility of feeling or passion; as the softness of the heart or of our natures.

3. Mildness; kindness; as softness of words or expressions.

4. Mildness; civility; gentleness; as softness of manners.

5. Effeminacy; vicious delicacy. He was not delighted with the softness of the court.]

6. Timorousness; pusillanimity; excessive susceptibility of fear or alarm. This virtue could not proceed out of fear or softness

7. Smoothness to the ear; as the softness of sounds, which is distinct from exility or fineness.

8. Facility; gentleness; candor; easiness to be affected; as softness of spirit.

9. Gentleness, as contrary to vehemence. With strength and softness energy and ease.

10. Mildness of temper; meekness. For contemplation he and valor form'd for softness she, and sweet attractive grace.

11. Weakness; simplicity.

12. Mild temperature; as the softness of a climate.