Also soft soap. [f. prec.]
1. trans. To flatter, ‘soft-sawder.’ slang.
1840. Mrs. Whitcher, Widow Bedott Papers, xxv. (1883), 114. Ye don’t ketch me a slanderin’ folks behind ther backs and then soft-soapin’ ’em to their faces.
1843. in Bartlett, Dict. Amer. (1848), 320. I am tired of this system of placemen soft-soaping the people.
1883. A. K. Green (Mrs. Rohlfs), Hand & Ring, xxv. I am not a clumsy fellow at softsoaping a girl.
2. To treat or coat with soft soap.
1900. Daily News, 7 Aug., 3/4. Long poles … plentifully soft-soaped.
Hence Soft-soaper; Soft-soaping vbl. sb.
1841. J. T. Hewlett, Parish Clerk, II. 7. Zach … set up in the soft-soaping and deceiving line of business.
1904. Mrs. John Lane, in Blackw. Mag., May, 619/2. There are some soft-soapers who never advance and never aspire.
