| / English Dictionary |
SOFTNESS
| Pronunciation (US): |  | (GB): | |
I. (noun)
Sense 1
Meaning:
A disposition to be lenient in judging others
Example:
softness is not something permitted of good leaders
Classified under:
Nouns denoting attributes of people and objects
Hypernyms ("softness" is a kind of...):
indulgence; lenience; leniency (a disposition to yield to the wishes of someone)
Derivation:
soft (tolerant or lenient)
Sense 2
Meaning:
The trait of being effeminate (derogatory of a man)
Example:
he was shocked by the softness of the atmosphere surrounding the young prince, arising from the superfluity of the femininity that guided him
Synonyms:
effeminacy; effeminateness; sissiness; softness; unmanliness; womanishness
Classified under:
Nouns denoting attributes of people and objects
Hypernyms ("softness" is a kind of...):
femininity; muliebrity (the trait of behaving in ways considered typical for women)
Domain usage:
depreciation; derogation; disparagement (a communication that belittles somebody or something)
Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "softness"):
emasculation (loss of power and masculinity)
Sense 3
Meaning:
The quality of being indistinct and without sharp outlines
Synonyms:
blurriness; fogginess; fuzziness; indistinctness; softness
Classified under:
Nouns denoting attributes of people and objects
Hypernyms ("softness" is a kind of...):
opacity; opaqueness (the quality of being opaque to a degree; the degree to which something reduces the passage of light)
Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "softness"):
dimness; faintness (the quality of being dim or lacking contrast)
vagueness (indistinctness of shape or character)
Antonym:
sharpness (the quality of being sharp and clear)
Sense 4
Meaning:
Acting in a manner that is gentle and mild and even-tempered
Example:
even in the pulpit there are moments when mildness of manner is not enough
Synonyms:
gentleness; mildness; softness
Classified under:
Nouns denoting attributes of people and objects
Hypernyms ("softness" is a kind of...):
manner; personal manner (a way of acting or behaving)
Derivation:
soft (willing to negotiate and compromise)
soft (compassionate and kind; conciliatory)
Sense 5
Meaning:
The property of giving little resistance to pressure and being easily cut or molded
Classified under:
Nouns denoting attributes of people and objects
Hypernyms ("softness" is a kind of...):
body; consistence; consistency; substance (the property of holding together and retaining its shape)
Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "softness"):
compressibility; sponginess; squeezability (the property of being able to occupy less space)
downiness; featheriness; fluffiness (a light softness)
flabbiness; flaccidity; limpness (a flabby softness)
mushiness; pulpiness (a mushy pulpy softness)
Antonym:
hardness (the property of being rigid and resistant to pressure; not easily scratched; measured on Mohs scale)
Derivation:
soft (yielding readily to pressure or weight)
Sense 6
Meaning:
A visual property that is subdued and free from brilliance or glare
Example:
the softness of the morning sky
Classified under:
Nouns denoting attributes of people and objects
Hypernyms ("softness" is a kind of...):
visual property (an attribute of vision)
Derivation:
soft (not brilliant or glaring)
Sense 7
Meaning:
A sound property that is free from loudness or stridency
Example:
and in softness almost beyond hearing
Classified under:
Nouns denoting attributes of people and objects
Hypernyms ("softness" is a kind of...):
sound property (an attribute of sound)
Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "softness"):
faintness (barely audible)
decrescendo; diminuendo ((music) a gradual decrease in loudness)
pianissimo; piano ((music) low loudness)
Antonym:
loudness (the magnitude of sound (usually in a specified direction))
Derivation:
soft ((of speech sounds); produced with the back of the tongue raised toward the hard palate; characterized by a hissing or hushing sound (as 's' and 'sh'))
soft ((of sound) relatively low in volume)
Sense 8
Meaning:
A state of declining economic condition
Example:
he attributes the disappointing results to softness in the economy
Classified under:
Nouns denoting stable states of affairs
Hypernyms ("softness" is a kind of...):
economic condition (the condition of the economy)
Derivation:
soft ((of a commodity or market or currency) falling or likely to fall in value)
Sense 9
Meaning:
The quality of weather that is deliciously mild and soothing
Example:
the climate had the softness of the south of France
Synonyms:
balminess; softness
Classified under:
Nouns denoting stable states of affairs
Hypernyms ("softness" is a kind of...):
clemency; mildness (good weather with comfortable temperatures)
Derivation:
soft (mild and pleasant)
Sense 10
Meaning:
Poor physical condition; being out of shape or out of condition (as from a life of ease and luxury)
Synonyms:
softness; unfitness
Classified under:
Nouns denoting stable states of affairs
Hypernyms ("softness" is a kind of...):
health problem; ill health; unhealthiness (a state in which you are unable to function normally and without pain)
Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "softness"):
debility; feebleness; frailness; frailty; infirmity; valetudinarianism (the state of being weak in health or body (especially from old age))
disability; disablement; handicap; impairment (the condition of being unable to perform as a consequence of physical or mental unfitness)
Derivation:
soft (out of condition; not strong or robust; incapable of exertion or endurance)
Context examples:
Her diffidence, gratitude, and softness made every expression of indifference seem almost an effort of self-denial; seem, at least, to be giving nearly as much pain to herself as to him.
(Mansfield Park, by Jane Austen)
Once, when he remembered Jo as she sat with the little child in her lap and that new softness in her face, he leaned his head on his hands a minute, and then roamed about the room, as if in search of something that he could not find.
(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)
She wept when she quitted our house; she was much altered since the death of my aunt; grief had given softness and a winning mildness to her manners, which had before been remarkable for vivacity.
(Frankenstein, by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley)
He stroked my right hand, seeming to admire the softness and colour; but he squeezed it so hard between his hoof and his pastern, that I was forced to roar; after which they both touched me with all possible tenderness.
(Gulliver's Travels into several remote nations of the world, by Jonathan Swift)
Venus adds a soothing touch, and although she is no match to the heavy hand of Pluto and Saturn—they are the big guns of the planetary lineup—Venus can deliver a touch of softness.
(AstrologyZone.com, by Susan Miller)
It was plain to them all that Colonel Fitzwilliam came because he had pleasure in their society, a persuasion which of course recommended him still more; and Elizabeth was reminded by her own satisfaction in being with him, as well as by his evident admiration of her, of her former favourite George Wickham; and though, in comparing them, she saw there was less captivating softness in Colonel Fitzwilliam's manners, she believed he might have the best informed mind.
(Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen)
He left me as suddenly as he had come, springing to the deck with the weight and softness of a tiger.
(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)
Very shortly after she opened her eyes in all their softness, and putting out her poor, pale, thin hand, took Van Helsing's great brown one; drawing it to her, she kissed it.
(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)
"I used to be all softness and gentleness," he nodded concurrence. "Was that why you left me?"
(Love of Life and Other Stories, by Jack London)
The dew fell, but with propitious softness; no breeze whispered.
(Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë)
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