soft Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. adjective yielding readily to pressure or weight
  2. adjective compassionate and kind; conciliatory
    • he was soft on his children
  3. adjective (of sound) relatively low in volume
    • soft voices
    • soft music
  4. adjective satellite easily hurt
    delicate.
    • soft hands
    • a baby's delicate skin
  5. adjective produced with vibration of the vocal cords;
    voiced; sonant.
    • a frequently voiced opinion
    • voiced consonants such as `b' and `g' and `z'
  6. adjective not protected against attack (especially by nuclear weapons)
    • soft targets
  7. adjective used chiefly as a direction or description in music
    piano.
    • the piano passages in the composition
  8. adjective (of light) transmitted from a broad light source or reflected
    diffused; diffuse.
  9. adjective (of speech sounds); produced with the back of the tongue raised toward the hard palate; characterized by a hissing or hushing sound (as `s' and `sh')
  10. adjective satellite (of a commodity or market or currency) falling or likely to fall in value
    • the market for computers is soft
  11. adjective satellite using evidence not readily amenable to experimental verification or refutation
    • soft data
    • the soft sciences
  12. adjective satellite tolerant or lenient
    lenient; indulgent.
    • indulgent parents risk spoiling their children
    • too soft on the children
    • they are soft on crime
  13. adjective satellite soft and mild; not harsh or stern or severe
    gentle.
    • a gentle reprimand
    • a vein of gentle irony
    • poked gentle fun at him
  14. adjective satellite having little impact
    gentle; easy.
    • an easy pat on the shoulder
    • gentle rain
    • a gentle breeze
    • a soft (or light) tapping at the window
  15. adjective satellite out of condition; not strong or robust; incapable of exertion or endurance
    flaccid; flabby.
    • he was too soft for the army
    • flabby around the middle
    • flaccid cheeks
  16. adjective satellite willing to negotiate and compromise
  17. adjective satellite not burdensome or demanding; borne or done easily and without hardship
    cushy; easygoing.
    • what a cushy job!
    • the easygoing life of a parttime consultant
    • a soft job
  18. adjective satellite mild and pleasant
    mild; balmy.
    • balmy days and nights
    • the climate was mild and conducive to life or growth
    • a soft breeze
  19. adjective satellite not brilliant or glaring
    subdued.
    • the moon cast soft shadows
    • soft pastel colors
    • subdued lighting
  20. adverb in a relaxed manner; or without hardship
    easy.
    • just wanted to take it easy" (`soft' is nonstandard)

WordNet

Soft adjective
Etymology
OE. softe, AS. sfte, properly adv. of sfte, adj.; akin to OS. safto, adv., D. zacht, OHG. samfto, adv., semfti, adj., G. sanft, LG. sacht; of uncertain origin.
Wordforms
comparative Softer ; superlative Softest
Definitions
  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.
  2. Not rough, rugged, or harsh to the touch; smooth; delicate; fine; as, soft silk; a soft skin.
    They that wear soft clothing are in king's houses. Matt. xi. 8.
  3. Hence, agreeable to feel, taste, or inhale; not irritating to the tissues; as, a soft liniment; soft wines. "The soft, delicious air." Milton.
  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.
    The sun, shining upon the upper part of the clouds . . . made the softest lights imaginable. Sir T. Browne.
  5. Not harsh or rough in sound; gentle and pleasing to the ear; flowing; as, soft whispers of music.
    Her voice was ever soft, Gentle, and low, -- an excellent thing in woman. Shak.
    Soft were my numbers; who could take offense? Pope.
  6. Easily yielding; susceptible to influence; flexible; gentle; kind.
    I would to God my heart were flint, like Edward's; Or Edward's soft and pitiful, like mine. Shak.
    The meek or soft shall inherit the earth. Tyndale.
  7. Expressing gentleness, tenderness, or the like; mild; conciliatory; courteous; kind; as, soft eyes.
    A soft answer turneth away wrath. Prov. xv. 1.
    A face with gladness overspread, Soft smiles, by human kindness bred. Wordsworth.
  8. Effeminate; not courageous or manly, weak.
    A longing after sensual pleasures is a dissolution of the spirit of a man, and makes it loose, soft, and wandering. Jer. Taylor.
  9. Gentle in action or motion; easy.
    On her soft axle, white she paces even, And bears thee soft with the smooth air along. Milton.
  10. Weak in character; impressible.
    The deceiver soon found this soft place of Adam's. Glanvill.
  11. Somewhat weak in intellect. Colloq.
    He made soft fellows stark noddies, and such as were foolish quite mad. Burton.
  12. Quiet; undisturbed; paceful; as, soft slumbers.
  13. Having, or consisting of, a gentle curve or curves; not angular or abrupt; as, soft outlines.
  14. Not tinged with mineral salts; adapted to decompose soap; as, soft water is the best for washing.
  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.
Soft noun
Definitions
  1. A soft or foolish person; an idiot. Colloq. G. Eliot.
Soft adverb
Definitions
  1. Softly; without roughness or harshness; gently; quietly. Chaucer.
    A knight soft riding toward them. Spenser.
Soft interjection
Definitions
  1. Be quiet; hold; stop; not so fast. archaic or obs.
    Soft, you; a word or two before you go. Shak.

Webster 1913