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1 soften
soften ['sɒfən]∎ a cream to soften chapped skin une crème pour adoucir les peaux gercées;∎ soften the paste by kneading it between your fingers ramollir la pâte en la malaxant avec les doigts;∎ centuries of erosion had softened the stone des siècles d'érosion avaient rendu la pierre tendre∎ to soften one's voice (make less strident) parler d'une voix plus douce; (make quieter) parler moins fort(c) (make less strict) assouplir;∎ he has softened his stance on vegetarianism son attitude envers le végétarisme est plus modérée qu'avant(d) (lessen → pain, emotion) soulager, adoucir, atténuer; (→ shock, effect, impact) adoucir, amoindrir; (→ opposition, resistance) réduire, amoindrir;∎ also figurative to soften the blow amortir le choc(b) (become gentler → eyes, expression, voice) s'adoucir; (→ breeze, rain) s'atténuer; (→ lighting, colour) s'atténuer, s'adoucir; (→ angle, outline) s'adoucir, s'estomper(c) (become friendlier, more receptive)∎ to soften towards sb se montrer plus indulgent envers qn;∎ their attitude towards immigration has softened noticeably leur position par rapport à l'immigration est nettement plus tolérante;∎ his face softened son expression se radoucit;∎ her heart softened at the sound of his voice elle s'attendrit en entendant sa voix(a) familiar (make amenable → gen) attendrir□, rendre plus souple□ ; (→ by persuasion) amadouer□ ; (→ aggressively) intimider□ ;∎ they tried to soften us up with champagne lunches ils ont essayé de nous amadouer à coups de déjeuners au champagne;∎ they sent in bully boys to soften the shopkeepers up ils ont envoyé des gros bras pour intimider les commerçants(c) (make softer → butter, ground, wax) ramollir; (→ skin) adoucir; (→ cloth, wool, leather) assouplir(a) (ground) devenir mou (molle), se ramollir; (butter, wax) se ramollir; (leather) s'assouplir; (skin) s'adoucir(b) (become gentler → person, voice) s'adoucir;∎ to soften up on sb faire preuve de plus d'indulgence envers qn
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