SOFTEN

vt to make soft or more soft.

2. soften ·vt to render less hard;

— said of matter.

3. soften ·vt to mollify; to make less fierce or intractable.

4. soften ·vi to become soft or softened, or less rude, harsh, severe, or obdurate.

5. soften ·vt to make less glaring; to tone down; as, to soften the coloring of a picture.

6. soften ·vt to make less harsh or grating, or of a quality the opposite; as, to soften the voice.

7. soften ·vt to palliate; to represent as less enormous; as, to soften a fault.

8. soften ·vt to make less harsh, less rude, less offensive, or less violent, or to render of an opposite quality.

9. soften ·vt to make tender; to make effeminate; to enervate; as, troops softened by luxury.

10. soften ·vt to compose; to mitigate; to assuage.