Soften - English meaning

verb

(of something unpleasant or severe) become less intense or widespread.

Usage examples:

The storm suddenly abated

verb

To become less strong

Usage examples:

The storm/wind/rain has started to abate., the fighting in the area shows no sign of abating.

verb

Diminish or put at rest (fear, suspicion, or worry).

Usage examples:

The report attempted to educate the public and allay fears

verb

To make a negative emotion less strong or a problem less difficult

Usage examples:

I was nervous, but seeing her allayed my fears.

verb

If you allay a strong emotion felt by someone, such as fear or worry, you cause them to feel it less or to feel calm again

Usage examples:

The government is trying to allay public fears/concern about the spread of the disease.

verb

Make (suffering, deficiency, or a problem) less severe.

Usage examples:

He couldn't prevent her pain, only alleviate it

verb

To make pain or problems less severe

Usage examples:

The medicine did nothing to alleviate her discomfort.

verb

To make something bad such as pain or problems less severe

Usage examples:

The drugs did nothing to alleviate her pain/suffering.

verb

Make (an unpleasant feeling) less intense.

Usage examples:

The letter assuaged the fears of most members

verb

To make unpleasant feelings less strong

Usage examples:

The government has tried to assuage the public's fears.

adjective

(of a cutting implement) not having a sharp edge or point.

Usage examples:

A blunt knife

verb

Make or become less sharp.

Usage examples:

Wood can blunt your axe

noun

A hollowed-out cigar filled with cannabis.

Usage examples:

Consequently, marijuana use in blunts may persist longer into adulthood for a larger proportion of …

noun

A bag of cloth stuffed with a mass of soft material, used as a comfortable support for sitting or leaning on.

Usage examples:

Comfortable chairs and sofas piled with cushions

verb

Soften the effect of an impact on.

Usage examples:

The bag cushions equipment from inevitable knocks

noun

A large, usually square bag filled with soft material, used as a movable part of a chair or sofa, for sitting on or resting your back against, or a similar but smaller bag used to make yourself more comfortable while sitting

Usage examples:

She sank back against the sofa cushions., the soft grass cushioned his fall (= made it hurt less).

verb

Make (a noise or sensation) less strong or intense.

Usage examples:

Ether was used to deaden the pain

verb

To reduce the severity or effect of something

Usage examples:

He asked for some stronger medication to deaden the pain.

verb

To make something less painful or less strong

Usage examples:

Morphine is often used to deaden the pain of serious injuries., double glazing has helped to deaden…

verb

Make or become smaller or fewer in size, amount, intensity, or degree.

Usage examples:

The population of the area has decreased radically

noun

An instance or example of becoming smaller or fewer.

Usage examples:

A decrease in births

verb

To become smaller or make something less

Usage examples:

[ i ] car sales decreased sharply this year., i haven’t noticed any decrease in ticket sales.

verb

Make or become less.

Usage examples:

The new law is expected to diminish the government's chances

verb

To reduce or be reduced in size or importance

Usage examples:

[ i ] the threat of inflation is diminishing., [ t ] a single-payer system would diminish the burea…

verb

To reduce or be reduced in size, importance, or value

Usage examples:

If consumers start losing confidence, it will diminish demand for household goods., investors can d…

adjective

Lacking interest or excitement.

Usage examples:

Your diet doesn't have to be dull and boring

verb

Make or become dull or less intense.

Usage examples:

Time dulls the memory

adjective

Not interesting or exciting; boring

Usage examples:

Many of the courtroom events were dull and routine., the lecture was dry, dull, and full of statist…

noun

Absence of difficulty or effort.

Usage examples:

She gave up smoking with ease

verb

Make (something unpleasant or intense) less serious or severe.

Usage examples:

A huge road-building programme to ease congestion

verb

Freedom from difficulty or hardship or effort

verb

Make or become less; diminish.

Usage examples:

The years have lessened the gap in age between us

verb

To become or make something smaller in amount or degree

Usage examples:

[ t ] keeping your weight down can lessen the risk of heart disease.

verb

To make something smaller, less noticeable, etc., or to become smaller, less noticeable, etc.

Usage examples:

Corporate executives are keen to embrace "green technology" in order to lessen their dependence on …

verb

Not prevent or forbid; allow.

Usage examples:

My boss let me leave early

noun

A period during which a room or property is rented.

Usage examples:

I've taken a month's let on the flat

verb

Hinder.

Usage examples:

Pray you let us not; we fain would greet our mother

verb

Make (something bad) less severe, serious, or painful.

Usage examples:

Drainage schemes have helped to mitigate this problem

verb

To make something less severe or less unpleasant

Usage examples:

Getting a lot of sleep and drinking plenty of fluids can mitigate the effects of the flu.

verb

To make something less harmful, unpleasant, or bad

Usage examples:

Technologies that can mitigate global warming, mitigate damage/risk the company was criticized for …

adjective

Average in amount, intensity, quality, or degree.

Usage examples:

We walked at a moderate pace

noun

A person who holds moderate views, especially in politics.

Usage examples:

An unlikely alliance of radicals and moderates

verb

Make or become less extreme, intense, rigorous, or violent.

Usage examples:

I shall not moderate my criticism

verb

Make (a disease or its symptoms) less severe without removing the cause.

Usage examples:

Treatment works by palliating symptoms

verb

To reduce the bad effects of something

Usage examples:

They tried to palliate the hardship of their lives., the drugs palliate pain but have no effect on …

verb

Cause (pain, distress, or difficulty) to become less severe or serious.

Usage examples:

The drug was used to promote sleep and to relieve pain

verb

Gently calm (a person or their feelings).

Usage examples:

A shot of brandy might soothe his nerves

verb

To cause someone to be less upset or angry, or to cause something to hurt less

Usage examples:

I picked up the crying child and tried to soothe her., a soothing ointment for sunburn

verb

Become less intense, violent, or severe.

Usage examples:

I'll wait a few minutes until the storm subsides

verb

(of a condition) to become less strong, or (of an activity or disagreement) to become less violent

Usage examples:

When her pain didn’t subside, matt drove her to the hospital., friction between the groups subsided…

idiom

To make something unpleasant have less of an effect on someone

Usage examples:

Have an apple - it'll take the edge off your hunger., his apology took the edge off her anger.

noun

A person's state of mind seen in terms of their being angry or calm.

Usage examples:

He rushed out in a very bad temper

verb

Improve the hardness and elasticity of (steel or other metal) by reheating and then cooling it.

Usage examples:

The way a smith would temper a sword

noun

The state of your mind or feelings

Usage examples:

[ c ] john has a bad temper., [ u ] a fit of temper, [ c ] you need to learn to control your temper…