[Elamur Dictionary](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/soften/)

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# soften

verb (soften, softens, softened, softening)

«soften» in the English dictionary: everyday and in Jewish tradition — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. To soften means to become softer or to make something softer («soften the butter»). [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/soften/#m1)
2. To soften means to become or make something gentler, kinder or less strong («soften the blow», «her face softened»). [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/soften/#m2)

### In the lessons

In science and cooking, heat softens butter, chocolate and wax; water softens clay and dry bread. In everyday life and stories people soften their voice or words to be kind, and an angry face softens when someone calms down. Phrases: «soften the blow», «soften up», «softened butter».

### Examples

- Leave the butter out to soften before baking. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/soften/#x1)
- The sun softened the chocolate in my pocket. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/soften/#x2)
- Her face softened when she saw the kitten. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/soften/#x3)
- Soak the beans to soften them. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/soften/#x4)
- Try to soften your voice when you speak to the baby. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/soften/#x5)
- Dad softened the bad news with a hug. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/soften/#x6)
- Heat softens the wax so you can shape it. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/soften/#x7)
- The ice cream softened quickly on the warm plate. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/soften/#x8)
- The eyes of women brightened and softened when they looked at me. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/soften/#x9)

### Note

The t is silent: SOF-en. Regular verb: «softened». Opposite: «harden». Related: «soft», «softener» (fabric softener).

## In Jewish tradition

Here it means giving a letter its lighter, unstressed sound instead of its hard one.

**Interpretation.** The two voices of the double letters are read as showing how each thing in creation can have two opposite sides.

### Examples

- The two sounds of each letter are the hard and the soft—the aspirated and the softened. (Sefer Yetzirah, Westcott 1893) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/S/soften/#x1)
- The two sounds of each letter are the hard and the soft — the aspirated and the softened. (Sefer Yetzirah, Westcott 1893) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/S/soften/#x2)
- There were formed seven double letters, Beth, Gimel, Daleth, Kaph, Pe, Resh, Tau, each has two voices, either aspirated or softened. (Sefer Yetzirah, Westcott 1887) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/S/soften/#x3)

### Note

The t is silent: SOF-en. Regular verb: «softened». Opposite: «harden». Related: «soft», «softener» (fabric softener).

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «soften» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/soften/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«soften» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/soften.html) on Mova free.
- [Trees and pragmatics of «soften» in the Judaism dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/S/soften/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«soften» in the Judaism dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/judaism/w/soften.html) on Mova free.