INDEX:
1. soft and easy to press or crush
2. soft and pleasant to touch
3. soft and wet
4. soft and not stiff or firm
5. to become or make something soft
RELATED WORDS
opposite
↑ HARD
see also
↑ WEAK
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1. soft and easy to press or crush
▷ soft /sɒftǁsɔːft/ [adjective]
▪ She fell over several times, but came to no harm in the soft new snow.
▪ a selection of hard and soft cheeses
▪ I need a softer pillow.
softness [uncountable noun]
▪ It’s the padding and type of springs used that give a mattress its softness.
▪ The softness of gold makes it relatively easy to use for ornamental purposes.
▷ tender /ˈtendəʳ/ [adjective]
use this about meat and vegetables that are soft and easy to cut because they have been cooked well :
▪ Cook the curry for another 40 minutes or until the meat is tender.
tenderness [uncountable noun]
▪ Methods of cooking such as braising and stewing are used to increase tenderness in tougher cuts of meat.
▷ spongy /ˈspʌndʒi/ [adjective]
soft and full of holes that contain air or liquid :
▪ The ground was wet and spongy underfoot.
▪ Protecting the edge of the bone is a layer of soft, spongy tissue.
▷ springy /ˈsprɪŋi/ [adjective]
use this about grass or ground that returns to its original shape after someone has walked on it :
▪ Instinctively, I took off my shoes and felt the springy grass beneath my bare feet.
▪ The stag was now at full gallop on the springy turf.
2. soft and pleasant to touch
▷ soft /sɒftǁsɔːft/ [adjective]
▪ Her hair was soft and silky.
▪ Apply the polish with a soft cloth.
▪ an expensive pair of soft leather gloves
▪ Use a good handcream to keep your hands soft.
softness [uncountable noun]
▪ He stroked the satin softness of her hair.
▷ fluffy /ˈflʌfi/ [adjective]
covered in soft, light threads, fur, or feathers :
▪ She found a towel, huge and fluffy, and wrapped it around herself.
▪ After a few days, there would be dozens of fluffy little chicks hatching out.
▷ velvety /ˈvelvɪti, ˈvelvəti/ [adjective]
soft, smooth, and shiny and pleasant to touch :
▪ His skin felt soft and velvety, like a baby’s.
▪ She buried her nose in the fragrant, velvety petals.
3. soft and wet
▷ squashy British /mushy American /ˈskwɒʃiǁˈskwɑːʃi, ˈmʌʃi/ [adjective]
use this about fruit or vegetables that are soft and wet, for example because they are not fresh or have been cooked for too long :
▪ All I had left in the fridge was a lemon and a couple of squashy tomatoes.
▪ mushy Brussels sprouts and lumpy gravy
▪ Use firm, ripe pears, not ones that have gone mushy.
▷ squishy /ˈskwɪʃi/ [adjective]
use this about mud that is very soft and makes a wet sound when you walk in it :
▪ The ground was soft and squishy, and she felt mud oozing over the top of her shoes.
4. soft and not stiff or firm
▷ limp /lɪmp/ [adjective]
use this about something that is not as stiff or firm as it should be :
▪ He held the boy’s small, limp body in his arms, and wept.
▪ By the time we got there, all that was left were some rather limp sandwiches.
▷ floppy /ˈflɒpiǁˈflɑːpi/ []
use this about something that is soft and hangs loosely downwards :
▪ He wore a large, floppy hat.
▪ a toy rabbit with big, floppy ears
▪ He is good-looking with floppy black hair, brown eyes and a lean muscular body.
5. to become or make something soft
▷ get soft also go soft British /get ˈsɒft, gəʊ ˈsɒftǁ -ˈsɔːft/ [verb phrase]
▪ The wax will get softer as it is heated.
▪ Put the butter in the fridge or it’ll go soft.
▷ soften /ˈsɒf ə nǁˈsɔː-/ [intransitive/transitive verb]
to become soft or to make something soft :
▪ Soak the raisins in warm water till they soften.
▪ It’s a disease that softens and then destroys the bones.
softened [adjective only before noun]
▪ Beat the egg with the softened butter and warm milk.