soften
41soften the blow — 1. to make something unpleasant easier to accept. Although tuition rates are going up, more scholarships will be available to soften the blow. Not only were they losing their jobs, but they could not count on any financial cushion to soften the… …
42soften the blow — When someone tries to soften the blow, they do something to make an unpleasant event or action easier to accept. In spite of the extra payments given to soften the blow, the loss of their jobs was a catastrophe for the miners …
43soften your stance — cause you to change your opinion or position If his friends go against him, he may soften his stance …
44soften someone/thing up — undermine the resistance of. → soften …
45soften the blow — cushion/soften the blow to make a difficult experience less unpleasant. Free street parking is to be abolished, but residents are being offered reduced price parking permits in an attempt to cushion the blow …
46soften someone up — CHARM, win over, persuade, influence, weaken, disarm, sweeten; informal butter up, soft soap. → soften …
47soften — /saw feuhn, sof euhn/, v.t. 1. to make soft or softer. v.i. 2. to become soft or softer. [1325 75; ME; see SOFT, EN1] Syn. 1. melt; mollify, mitigate, soothe, alleviate, calm, quiet, ease. Ant. 1, 2. harden. * * * …
48soften up — verb a) To make softer. b) To appease someone in order to make them more receptive to an idea or proposal. Syn: butter up …
49soften — I (Roget s IV) v. 1. [To become soft] Syn. dissolve, lessen, diminish, disintegrate, become tender, become mellow, thaw, melt, moderate, bend, give, yield, relax, relent. Ant. stiffen*, solidify, freeze. 2. [To make soft] Syn. mollify, mellow,… …
50soften — sọf|ten 〈V.; Fot.〉 weichzeichnen von Bildern mit optischen Hilfsmitteln (z. B. Weichzeichner), die vor die Linse gebracht werden [Etym.: engl., »weich machen] …
