/sawft'ped"l, soft'-/ , v. , soft-pedaled, soft-pedaling or ( esp. Brit. ) soft-pedalled, soft-pedalling .
v.i.
1. to use the soft pedal.
v.t.
2. to soften the sound of by using the soft pedal.
3. Informal. to tone or play down; make less strong, as an idea or fact: The dean soft-pedaled the reports of cheating.
[ 1915-20; v. use of n. phrase soft pedal ]