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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 -
2 soften
soften [ˈsɒfn][+ butter, clay, ground] ramollir ; [+ leather] assouplir ; [+ skin, outline] adoucir ; [+ lighting] tamiser ; [+ sb's anger, effect] atténuer ; [+ resistance] réduire= softena. = softenb. [+ person] attendrir* * *['sɒfn], US ['sɔːfn] 1.transitive verb1) lit ( make less firm or rough) amollir [ground, metal]; adoucir [skin, hard water]; ramollir [butter]; assouplir [fabric]2) fig atténuer [blow, impact, shock, pain, resistance]; adoucir [refusal]; assouplir [attitude, position, rule]; minimiser [fact]3) ( make quieter) adoucir [sound, voice]4) ( make less sharp) adoucir [form, outline, light]2.1) lit [light, outline, music, colour] s'adoucir; [skin] devenir plus doux; [substance, ground] se ramollir2) fig [person, approach] s'assouplir ( towards somebody vis-à-vis de quelqu'un)3) Economics fléchir•Phrasal Verbs: -
3 soften
soften, US [transcription]["sO ;fn"]A vtr1 lit ( make less firm or rough) amollir [ground, metal] ; adoucir [skin, hard water] ; ramollir [butter] ; assouplir [fabric] ;2 fig atténuer [blow, impact, image, impression, shock, pain, resistance] ; adoucir [personality, refusal] ; assouplir [approach, attitude, position, rule, view] ; minimiser [fact] ;4 ( make less sharp) adoucir [contour, form, outline, light].B vi1 lit [light, outline, music, colour] s'adoucir ; [skin] devenir plus doux ; [substance, ground] se ramollir ; [consonant] devenir doux ;2 fig [person, character, approach, attitude, position, view] s'assouplir (towards sb vis-à-vis de qn) ;3 Econ [currency, economy, market] fléchir.■ soften up:▶ soften up [butter, malleable substance] amollir ;
См. также в других словарях:
soften — soft|en [ˈsɔfən US ˈso: ] v [I and T] 1.) also soften up to become less hard or rough, or make something less hard or rough ≠ ↑harden ▪ Use moisturizer to soften your skin. ▪ Cook until the onion softens. 2.) if your attitude softens, or if… … Dictionary of contemporary English
soften — [[t]sɒ̱f(ə)n, AM sɔ͟ːf [/t]] softens, softening, softened 1) V ERG If you soften something or if it softens, it becomes less hard, stiff, or firm. [V n] Soften the butter mixture in a small saucepan... Fry for about 4 minutes, until the onion has … English dictionary
soften — verb 1 become/make sth softer/gentler ADVERB ▪ considerably, a lot ▪ a bit, a little, slightly, somewhat ▪ His smile softened slightly … Collocations dictionary
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