Soften Make Softened Verb Sth Soft Resistance B

soft·en
\\ˈsȯ-fən\\ verb
(soft·ened ; soft·en·ing \\ˈsȯ-fə-niŋ, ˈsȯf-niŋ\\)transitive verb
1. to make soft or softer
2.
  a. to weaken the military resistance or the morale of especially by harassment (as preliminary bombardment) — often used with up
  b. to impair the strength or resistance of — often used with up
      soften up a sales prospect
intransitive verb
: to become soft or softer
    her face softened
• soft·en·er \\ˈsȯ-fə-nər, ˈsȯf-nər\\ noun

soften
  c.1385, "to mitigate, diminish," from soft (adj.). Meaning "to make physically soft" is from 1530; intrans. sense of "to become softer" is attested from 1611.

soften
soft·en / 5sCfn; NAmE 5sC:fn / verb1. to become, or to make sth softer
   (使)变软,软化:
  ▪ [V]
   Fry the onions until they soften.
   把洋葱炒软。
  ▪ [VN]
   a lotion to soften the skin
   润肤露
   Linseed oil will soften stiff leather.
   亚麻籽油可软化僵硬的皮革。
2. to become or to make sth less bright, rough or strong
   (使)柔和,和缓:
  ▪ [VN]
   Trees soften the outline of the house.
   树木使房子的轮廓显得柔和。
  ▪ [also V]
3. to become or to make sb / sth more sympathetic and less severe or critical
   (使)态度缓和,变温和,变宽厚:
  ▪ [V]
   She felt herself softening towards him.
   她感觉自己对他逐渐温和起来。
   His face softened as he looked at his son.
   他看着儿子,紧绷的面孔松弛下来。
  ▪ [VN]
   She softened her tone a little.
   她稍稍缓和了一下语气。
4. [VN] to reduce the force or the unpleasant effects of sth
   减轻；减缓；削弱
   SYN 

cushion

:
   Airbags are designed to soften the impact of a car crash.
   气囊用来减轻汽车碰撞的冲击力。
 IDIOMS 
⇨ see

blow

n.
 PHRASAL VERBS 
▪ 7soften sb ↔ 'up (informal)
1. to try to persuade sb to do sth for you by being very nice to them before you ask them
   打动；诱导；拉拢:
   Potential customers are softened up with free gifts before the sales talk.
   谈生意之前,先送给潜在的客户一些赠品,以联络感情。
2. to make an enemy weaker and easier to attack
   削弱,瓦解(敌人力量)

soften verb

soft·en
\ˈsȯfən also ˈsäf- sometimes -ftən\ verb
(-ed/-ing/-s)
Etymology: Middle English softnen, from soft (I) + -nen -en
transitive verb
1. : to lessen the severity of : make more endurable : ,
 < have softened their puritanical code — Paul Blanshard >
 < pride in his heroism softened their grief >
2.
 a. : to render gentle, mild, or compassionate : induce sympathy or mercy in :
  < the story should soften the stoniest of hearts — J.D.Adams >
 b. : to reduce the harshness or rigor of : make milder or gentler :
  < softening him to love by eloquent tenderness — T.L.Peacock >
 c. : to make effeminate or weak : leach away the strength or virility of :
  < ease and luxury had softened their fiber >
3. : to make less glaring, loud, or sharp : tone down the brightness, contrast, or sound of : round or blend the harsh lines or jagged angles of
 < dusk and dark clouds were softening the daylight — Elyne Mitchell >
 < the contours of the bodies are softened — Leona Prasse >
4.
 a. : to make less hard, solid, or compact (as by pounding or annealing)
  < heat softens iron >
 b. : to make less dry or brittle by use of an oil or grease : restore freshness, pliability, or luster to
  < lotions that soften dry skin >
  < used oil to soften and preserve leather >
 c. : to make (hair) more receptive to dye by use of a bleaching solution
5. : to lessen the hardness of (water) especially by removing or reducing the reactivity of calcium and magnesium ions (as by precipitation, ion exchange, or sequestration)
6. : to remove impurities from (lead) preparatory to desilverizing
7.
 a. : to weaken the military resistance and morale of especially by preliminary bombardment or other harassment — often used with up
 b. : to break the resistance or opposition of (a person) by physical or mental torture
  < first we'll soften you up with a little of the pistol-whipping I promised you — Hartley Howard >
8. : to bring down (prices or market demand)
 < adverse developments … have completely demoralized product prices, softened the price of crude, and are squeezing profits to a minimum — P.C.Spencer >
intransitive verb
: to become soft, gentle, pliable, or weak
 < her expression softened >
 < foreign policy softened as the cold war reached a temporary lull >

 < the wind was softening — Vincent McHugh >