soften

soften
soften [ˈsɒfn]
1. transitive verb
[+ butter, clay, ground] ramollir ; [+ leather] assouplir ; [+ skin, outline] adoucir ; [+ lighting] tamiser ; [+ sb's anger, effect] atténuer ; [+ resistance] réduire
• to soften the blow amortir le choc
2. intransitive verb
[butter, clay, ground] se ramollir ; [leather] s'assouplir ; [skin] s'adoucir
► soften up
1. intransitive verb
= soften
2. separable transitive verb
   a. = soften
   b. [+ person] attendrir
* * *
['sɒfn], US ['sɔːfn] 1.
transitive verb
1) lit (make less firm or rough) amollir [ground, metal]; adoucir [skin, hard water]; ramollir [butter]; assouplir [fabric]
2) fig atténuer [blow, impact, shock, pain, resistance]; adoucir [refusal]; assouplir [attitude, position, rule]; minimiser [fact]
3) (make quieter) adoucir [sound, voice]
4) (make less sharp) adoucir [form, outline, light]
2.
intransitive verb
1) lit [light, outline, music, colour] s'adoucir; [skin] devenir plus doux; [substance, ground] se ramollir
2) fig [person, approach] s'assouplir (towards somebody vis-à-vis de quelqu'un)
3) Economics fléchir
•
Phrasal Verbs:

English-French dictionary. 2013.

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