v. Also 4–5 softne, 5 Sc. softine, 9 Sc. saften. [f. SOFT a. + -EN. Cf. SOFT v.]
I. trans. 1. To mitigate, assuage or diminish; to render less painful or more easy to bear.
c. 1385. Chaucer, L. G. W., Prol. 50. That blisful sight softneth al my sorwe.
c. 1415. Hoccleve, Min. Poems, 62. Let your hy worthynesse Oure indigences softne, & abate!
1708. Pope, Ode St. Cecilia’s Day, vii. Music can soften pain to ease.
a. 1715. Burnet, Own Time (1766), II. 13. It would very much soften those apprehensions.
1822. Scott, Peveril, xxxii. His lady, who … shared and softened his imprisonment. Ibid. (1823), Quentin D., x. All who had contributed to soften the term of his exile.
1842. S. Lover, Handy Andy, xlix. After the lapse of a few days had softened the bitter grief.
absol. c. 1375. Sc. Leg. Saints, xlii. (Agatha), 149. Godis angele … vith dew of hewine ma softine sa, Þat þi fyre sal me do na wa.
c. 1400. Rom. Rose, 1925. It softned heere, and prikkith there.
b. Similarly with off.
1790. Mme. D’Arblay, Diary, Jan. To soften off, by the air, a violent headache, I determined upon walking to Chelsea.
1849. Froude, Nemesis of Faith, 224. All that woman’s care … could do to soften off her end was done.
† c. With personal object: To relieve from pain. Obs.–1
a. 1400[?]. Morte Arth., 2691. This prissonere syr Priamus … Sais that he has saluez salle softene vs bothene.
2. a. To render more impressionable or tender; to affect emotionally.
1435. Misyn, Fire of Love, 102. Þe saule softynand þer þou … þi tempyll has ordand.
1667. Milton, P. L., XI. 110. I behold them soft’nd and with tears Bewailing thir excess.
1827. Scott, Jrnl., 7 Nov. I … fairly softened myself like an old fool, with recalling old stories till I was fit for nothing but shedding tears.
1874. Mozley, Univ. Serm., ix. (1876), 222. Misfortune, adversity, soften the human heart.
b. To enervate, weaken, render effeminate.
1581. Sidney, Apol. Poetrie (Arb.), 51. Howe…, before Poets did soften vs, we were full of courage, giuen to martiall exercises.
1615. Chapman, Odyss., XII. 64. The Sirens will so soften with their song … His loose affections.
1670. Cotton, Espernon, I. III. 104. A negligent and voluptuous Prince; whose nature being softned, and unnerv’d by ease [etc.].
1780. Mirror, No. 94. 374. Softening too much the mind of a young girl, who has to struggle with the difficulties of life.
1828–32. Webster, s.v., Troops softened by luxury.
c. To make more gentle, delicate or refined. Also with into.
1709. Steele, Tatler, No. 10, ¶ 2. Every Temper … is to be animated and softned by the Influence of Beauty.
1781. Cowper, Charity, 96. This genial intercourse … softens human rock-work into men.
1831. Sir J. Sinclair, Corr., II. 370. Attention to music … softens the temper.
1841. Elphinstone, Hist. Ind., II. 249. This mixture probably softened the manners of the people from the first.
1868. Morris, Earthly Par., I. I. 112. Though some divine thought softened all her face.
3. To mollify or appease; to render less harsh or severe.
c. 1450. Mirour Saluacioun (Roxb.), 128. Bot marie softnys his ire als oure best mediatrice.
1593. Shaks., Lucr., 591 (1594), E 3. All which together like a troubled Ocean, Beat at thy rockie, and wracke-threatning heart, To soften it with their continuall motion. Ibid. (1603), Meas. for M., I. v. 70. All hope is gone, Vnlesse you haue the grace, by your faire praier To soften Angelo.
1725. De Foe, Voy. round World (1840), 342. To soften them a little, and in some measure to please them.
1780. Mirror, No. 101. 402. Nor was his resentment softened even by her husband’s leaving the army.
1835. Thirlwall, Greece, I. vi. 199. When the sacrifice was designed to soften the anger of an offended deity, it would of course be unusually sumptuous.
1849. Macaulay, Hist. Eng., v. I. 637. That good prelate used all his influence to soften the gaolers.
1864. Bryce, Holy Rom. Emp., xv. (1875), 243. But it still appeared possible to soften, if not to overcome, their antagonism.
4. To make physically soft or softer; to lessen the hardness of (a substance).
1530. Palsgr., 724/2. It is harde yet, but I shall soften it well ynoughe.
1591. Shaks., Two Gentl., III. ii. 79. Orpheus Lute,… Whose golden touch could soften steele and stones. Ibid. (1604), Oth., IV. iii. 47. Her salt teares fell from her, and softned the stones.
1656. Verney Memoirs (1907), II. 51. I see the same sunn that softens Wax, hardens clay.
1750. trans. Leonardus’ Mirr. Stones, 227. Sometimes Deceivers will soften the Amber and put into it some extraneous Matter.
1796. H. Hunter, trans. St.-Pierre’s Stud. Nat. (1799), I. 53. With Fire he … hardens clay, softens iron.
1853. Soyer, Pantroph., 288. They were first softened in milk and honey.
absol. 1610. Markham, Masterp., II. clxxiii. 484. Armoniacke drieth, cooleth, softneth, and draweth.
b. To make (water) soft.
1771. Mrs. Haywood, New Present for Maid, 267. Hard water may be softened by laying chalk in the bottoms of the wells or ponds.
1867. Bloxam, Chem., 43. Clark’s process for softening waters.
5. To modify or tone down; to render less pronounced or prominent.
In certain contexts there is implication of other senses.
(a) 1670–1. Marvell, Corr., Wks. (Grosart), II. 382. The clause that makes them riots is thrown out, and severall other clauses softned.
1712. Addison, Spect., No. 399, ¶ 5. They … do not see our Faults,… or soften them by their Representations.
1714. Pope, Lett., Wks. 1736, V. 216. I know you will think fit to soften your expression when you see the passage.
1788. Gibbon, Decl. & F., lii. V. 422. Their stern enthusiasm was softened by time and prosperity.
1812. Crabbe, Tales, xvii. 153. I in vain had tried To soften crime, that cannot be denied.
1856. Froude, Hist. Eng. (1858), I. 463. The scarcely ambiguous answer was something softened the following day. Ibid. (1879), Cæsar, xx. 346. Others proposed to send a deputation to soften the harshness of his removal.
(b) 1810. Crabbe, Borough, ii. 41. For time has soften’d what was harsh when new, And now the stains are all of sober hue.
1835. W. Irving, Tour Prairies, 159. There was a smoky haze in the atmosphere…, softening the features of the landscape.
1884. Manch. Exam., 1 Sept., 5/4. An awning … softened the light and hid the bare rafters.
b. Const. into or to.
1753. Hogarth, Anal. Beauty, vi. 29. Horror is soften’d into reverence.
1784. Cowper, Task, I. 365. ’Tis the primal curse, But soften’d into mercy.
1815. J. Smith, Panorama Sci. & Art, II. 725. These shades, duly softened into each other, will give the idea of a round body.
1842. Barham, Ingol. Leg., Ser. II. Lay of St. Cuthbert, iii. And he utters—a word which we’ll soften to ‘Zooks!’
c. With down (or away).
1799–1805. Wordsw., Prelude, XIV. 246. Thou didst soften down This over-sternness.
1809. Malkin, Gil Blas, XI. iv. ¶ 3. Throughout my narrative I softened down the passages likely to give umbrage to my patron.
1866. Mrs. Gaskell, Wives & Dau., I. iv. 41. Mrs. Hamley tried sometimes to apologize for, or to soften away, opinions which she fancied were offensive to the doctor.
1869. Tozer, Highl. Turkey, II. 264. Inconsistencies … are modified and softened down.
6. To make softer in sound.
For Ainsworth’s use see the note to SOFT a. 3 b.
1736. Ainsworth, Lat. Dict., II. s.v. D, This letter … is a t hardned, as t is a d softned.
1794. Mrs. Radcliffe, Myst. Udolpho, III. i. 28. He spoke to her in accents somewhat softened from their usual harshness.
1824. Byron, Def. Transf., I. ii. How the soldier’s rough strain seems Soften’d by distance to a hymn-like cadence!
1890. Science-Gossip, XXVI. 17. In our modern word ditch the final letter has been softened or weakened.
II. intr. 7. To become soft or softer in various non-physical senses; esp. to become more gentle, tender or emotional; to grow fainter or less pronounced.
1611. Shaks., Wint. T., II. ii. 40. We do not know How he may soften at the sight o’ th’ Childe.
1722–7. Boyer, Dict. Royal, I. S’adoucir,… to soften, to grow soft.
1791. Mrs. Radcliffe, Rom. Forest, i. (1792), 23. The terrors of La Motte began to subside, and the griefs of Adeline to soften. Ibid. (1794), Myst. Udolpho, I. iii. 80. Its savage features gradually softened.
1838. T. Mitchell, Aristoph. Clouds, 31. The scholar … gradually softens at this submission, and becomes sociable and communicative.
1865. Carlyle, Fredk. Gt., XXI. viii. (1872), X. 163. His eyes … softened finely in hearing, or telling, some trait of nobleness.
1877. Mrs. Oliphant, Makers Flor., viii. 212. Never was heart so hard but it softened before so much gentleness.
b. Const. into.
1730. Thomson, Hymn, 25. Shade unperceived so softening into shade.
1771. Junius’ Lett., liv. (1788), 296. By what gentle degrees the furious, persecuting zeal of Mr. Horne has softened into moderation.
1820. L. Hunt, Indicator, Deaths Little Children, 203. The pain that is in it softens into pleasure.
c. With away, down, or off.
1797. Mrs. Radcliffe, Italian, II. i. 44. The responses … softened away in distance.
1833. L. Ritchie, Wand. by Loire, 122. The rocks soften down on the right, and the village of Bouchemain appears.
1840. Dickens, Master Humphrey’s Clock (Tauchn.), III. 285. A crowd, which … softened off in a confused heap of faces.
1879. Browning, Halbert & Hob, 6. Most wildness by degrees Softens away!
8. To become physically soft.
1626. Bacon, Sylva, § 840. Many of those Bodies, that will not Melt,… will notwithstanding Soften.
1727. Boyer, Dict. Royal, I. S’amollir,… (perdre sa dureté), to grow soft, tender or pliant, to soften.
1838. Thomson, Chem. Org. Bodies, 182. When heated it softens at 302°.
1900. Jrnl. Soc. Dyers, XVI. 7. The acetate … does not begin to soften below a temperature of 150° C.
