softeningn.
/ˈsɒfnɪŋ/, /ˈsɒfn̩ɪŋ/, U.S. /ˈsɔf(ə)nɪŋ/, /ˈsɑf(ə)nɪŋ/ 1.
a. The action or process of making something, or becoming, soft or softer (in various senses). Also: an instance of this.
ΘΚΠ
the world > matter > constitution of matter > softness > [noun] > becoming or making soft
mollificationc1395
neshinga1398
remollition?a1425
softening?a1425
mollition1617
emollitiona1619
inteneration1626
malacissation1638
mollifying1643
the world > action or operation > manner of action > lack of violence, severity, or intensity > [noun] > making less violent, vigorous, or severe
softinga1400
slakingc1400
mollifying?a1425
softening?a1425
temperament1475
moderationa1500
temperatinga1540
releasing?1543
amollishment1612
mollificationa1631
quietationa1639
castigationa1676
society > leisure > the arts > visual arts > painting and drawing > [noun] > line or beauty of line > softening
sweetening1688
softening1802
?a1425 MS Hunterian 95 f. 179, in Middle Eng. Dict. at Softening(e The chapiter of remollitiue medicines of hardenesse þat falleþ to surgens and of þe maner of remollicioun oþer softenynge.
?c1425 tr. Guy de Chauliac Grande Chirurgie (Paris) (1971) 625 (MED) Mastik is a gumme, hote and drye..wiþ softenynge [L. mollificacione] and with confortynge.
1568 W. Turner Herbal iii. 21 It purgeth..gently by soughtening of the belly.
1580 C. Hollyband Treasurie French Tong Mollification, softning.
1618 S. Daniel tr. Tacitus in Coll. Hist. Eng. 3 A generall collapsion into those softnings of vices; faire houses, bathes, and delicate banquets.
?1680 tr. M. Le Faucheur Ess. Action of Orator v. 68 This Art of Softening and of the Pronunciation may be acquired by care, Industry, and Exercise.
1719 D. Waterland Vindic. Christ's Divinity 223 After the Disguises and Softenings, and Colourings had been carried on so long.
1744 H. Brooke Love & Vanity 124 O such a pretty knack at painting! And all for soft'ning and for sainting!
1802 D. Stewart Life & Writings W. Robertson I. 42 To unite in his portraits the truth of nature with the softenings of art.
1853 J. H. Newman Hist. Sketches 2nd Ser. i. iii. 105 When their strength declines..there is no softening, no misgiving.
1892 Photogr. Ann. II. 203 After this a general softening (that is to say, the graduating of light into shade).
1929 H. A. A. Nicholls & J. H. Holland Text-bk. Trop. Agric. (ed. 2) ii. iv. 168 The drooping and softening of leaves and flowers cut and kept in dry places.
1957 Economist 30 Nov. 809/1 The recent softening of the markets for petroleum products.
1986 J. F. Gracey Meat Hygiene (ed. 8) ii. 59/2 The gradual disappearance of rigor is probably attributable to softening of the coagulated fibres by autolytic ferments.
2013 Irish Independent (Nexis) 30 May (Third ed.) 3 Spain and Slovenia have been given longer to reduce their deficits.., signalling a softening of the stance on austerity.
b. With adverbs, as away, down, off. Now chiefly with up (cf. soften v. 11).
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society > authority > subjection > obedience > manageability > [noun] > compliancy > making compliant
suppling1566
softening1792
1792 C. Bonnor Facts relating to Meeting at London Tavern 24 If my premature unfolding of the affair had not induced a change of system , or at least such a softening down in the manner of pursuing the system, as so unexpected an event seemed to render adviseable.
1829 Harmonicon June 142/1 He is still too boisterous in his high notes, and we begin to think there is some defect in his voice, which prevents the softening off that we wish.
1846 Belfast News-Let. 23 Jan. 1/2 Shall we attribute this change of sentiment..to..a softening away of the prejudices of country?
1883 Milwaukee (Wisconsin) Sentinel 7 Dec. 3/4 The softening up of the weather..made it impossible to use the ice at the new rink.
1947 Brit. Jrnl. Photogr. 25 Apr. 150/1 There are times when the maximum depth of focus is needed and others when a softening off of the farther contours is just as necessary.
1960 N. Mitford Don't tell Alfred xx. 216 When some softening up on these lines had been delivered the campaign settled down to its real objective.
1991 Nation (N.Y.) 8 Apr. 438/1 The ‘softening up’ of Iraq by saturation bombardment.
2010 J. T. R. Rothenberg Rebuilding World iii. 31 Summer is the softening Away of what can be pressed out Of time.
2.
a. Pathology. Abnormal loss of density or organized structure in an organ, part of an organ, or tissue, as the brain, heart, liver, bone, etc.; an instance of this.red softening, white softening, yellow softening: see the first element.
ΘΚΠ
the world > health and disease > ill health > a disease > diseases of tissue > [noun] > alteration of tissue > softening
softening1655
mollities1807
ramollissement1826
mollescence1829
malacia1889
1655 N. Culpeper et al. tr. L. Rivière Pract. Physick v. 19 The opinion of a Palsey coming from a relaxing and softening [L. emollitionis] of the Nerves comes from hence.
1754 tr. J. Astruc Treat. Venereal Dis. (new ed.) II. iv. iii. 22 The Osteosarcosis, or Softening [L. emollitio] of the Bones attended with Pain.
1830 R. Knox tr. P. A. Béclard Elements Gen. Anat. 340 The softening [Fr. ramollissement] is a very frequent alteration of a part of the central nervous mass.
1843 R. J. Graves Syst. Clin. Med. xv. 184 Softening of the heart exists in typhus fever.
1860 F. Chance tr. R. Virchow Cellular Pathol. xv. 358 The necrobiotic processes, which must be completely separated from necrosis, are in general attended by softening as their ultimate result.
1933 Brit. Med. Jrnl. 27 May 919/2 Rupture of the diseased spleen..is not rare, and occurs most commonly in malaria and typhoid; it is probably due to softening and congestion.
1969 M. R. Sharpe Living in Space ii. 51 Prior to the first flights, a wide variety of systemic and functional disorders were predicted. These included ulcers, softening of the bones, [etc.].
2006 L. R. Caplan in L. R. Caplan & W. J. Manning Brain Embolism i. 4 The pathological findings included descriptions of brain softening and intracerebral and subarachnoid hemorrhages.
b. softening of the brain n. now chiefly historical or humorous loss of density or organized structure in the brain or a part of the brain; (loosely) a condition in a living person attributed to this, spec. syphilitic general paralysis or dementia.
ΘΚΠ
the world > health and disease > ill health > a disease > disorders of internal organs > disorders of nervous system > [noun] > disorders of brain > softening of brain
softening of the brain1819
white softening1827
red softening1834
brain softening1844
1819 London Med. Repository 12 338 Professor Recamier is one of the first by whom this disease has been entitled softening of the brain.
1851 Amer. Jrnl. Med. Sci. 22 57 We have many cases of fatal softening of the brain, sometimes even to diffluence.
1888 tr. H. Ibsen Pillars of Soc. & other Plays 194 He called it a sort of softening of the brain—or something of the kind.
1925 Amer. Speech 1 24/2 The disease ‘general paralysis’, also known as paresis, usually is spoken of as softening of the brain.
1952 J. Lait & L. Mortimer U.S.A. Confidential ii. xvi. 184 One of the boys doing life..is a paretic with softening of the brain. He is beginning to babble and talk about the old days.
1982 Brit. Med. Jrnl. 23 Jan. 277/2 In a recent talk on the radio, Alistair Cooke ended with the following words:..‘Retirement brings a hardening of the arteries and softening of the brain’.
2003 Legal Med. 5 191/1 The morphologic hallmarks of the respirator brain develop: global softening of the brain, dusky discoloration of the gray matter, and often necrotic and sloughing tonsillar herniations.
3. Metallurgy. The process of removing antimony and other metallic impurities from lead, typically by the exposure of molten lead to air and the removal of oxides formed by such exposure. Cf. soft lead n. at soft adj. Compounds 2a. Frequently attributive.
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1863 Mining & Smelting Mag. 4 203 I have introduced an oxidising agent for effecting the softening of slag lead as it is tapped from the blast-furnace.
1878 B. H. Paul Payen's Industr. Chem. 388 The dross obtained in the softening contains a considerable amount of antimony, together with some copper, iron, and a certain proportion of lead.
1968 W. Ryan Non-ferrous Extractive Metall. 110/2 When the softening furnace has been charged with molten lead from the premelting kettle air is injected to promote oxidation.
2004 T. Rosenqvist Princ. Extractive Metall. xiii. 361 Antimony and tin in lead are removed by oxidation (lead softening) whereas the more noble bismuth is not attacked.
4. Electronics. The weakening of the vacuum of a thermionic valve by the leaking or release of gaseous material into it. Cf. soft adj. 32a(b). Now rare.
ΚΠ
1919 R. D. Bangay Oscillation Valve 203 Any serious ‘softening’ of the valve will entirely upset its characteristics and action.
1945 Electronic Engin. 17 338/3 A high grid leak may very rapidly cause softening of the valve.
Compounds
C1.
a. General attributive, typically designating preparations, devices, etc., used to soften materials, as softening agent, softening process, etc.
ΚΠ
1644 G. Hughes Dry Rod Blooming ii. x. 63 The awakening power, the awing power, the convincing power, the softning power, and reforming power of the Rod.
1737 Dublin Soc. Weekly Observ. 22 Nov. 221 By the help of..the softening Engines, too much harshness may in a great measure be remov'd.
1835 Medico-chirurg. Trans. 19 136 In the early formation of abscess..this softening process may be satisfactorily observed.
1839 A. Ure Dict. Arts 767 The softening tool is an iron plate.
1888 Daily News 7 June 6/7 The softening plant.
1911 C. Palmer Geochem. Interpr. Water Analyses 5 The hardening constituent, calcium, being removed simultaneously from the hard water and from the softening agent.
1955 Changing Times May 24/1 You can order soft water service, which includes the use of a softening unit.
1986 Jrnl. Paleontol. 60 958/1 The adhesive properties of the paraffin wax can be increased from the outset by blending with a softening agent such as kerosene or lard.
2013 M. M. Benjamin & D. F. Lawler Water Quality Engin. ix. 410/1 In the softening process, the reagents are added in a rapid-mix step to ensure uniform distribution.
b. attributive with up (see soften v. 11, 11b).
ΚΠ
1941 N.Y. Times 9 Apr. 18/3 What is this ‘softening up’ process? It is simply to stir up prejudice, discord, conflict and confusion in the population.
1951 R.A.F. Rev. Apr.–Mar. 32/3 They helped to cover Allied bombers on ‘softening-up’ raids on the European fortress.
1971 B. W. Aldiss Soldier Erect 229 After a softening up period, another attack was launched. Our attack!
1976 B. Lecomber Dead Weight viii. 90 Leaving the suspect to stew..is the oldest softening-up trick in the book.
1993 Guardian (Nexis) 24 May 8 Or was it..a softening-up exercise designed to make voters grateful when only some threatened cuts materialise?
2012 Irish Daily Mail (Nexis) 2 Oct. 2 They deliberately leaked the recommendation as part of a softening-up process for the Budget.
C2. † softening iron n. Obsolete an iron plate on which to stretch wetted animal hides in leather-working.
ΘΚΠ
society > occupation and work > equipment > equipment for working with skins or leather > [noun] > for stretching hides or leather
softening iron1839
stretcher1839
stock-stone1875
stretcher-bar1883
stretch-bench1897
stretching-board1976
1839 A. Ure Dict. Arts 767 They would not bear working upon the softening iron.
1884 Our Darlings 8 Mar. 158/1 Lastly, [the skins]..are staked, that is, pulled backwards and forwards on a stretching or softening iron.
softening machine n. (in the textile industry) a machine used to soften fabric or fibres, esp. rough fibres such as jute and hemp; (formerly also) †a similar machine used to soften hides as a preliminary process in manufacturing leather (obsolete).
ΘΚΠ
society > occupation and work > equipment > equipment for working with skins or leather > [noun] > equipment for softening hides or leather > vat or receptacle
layer1797
softening machine1875
soak1876
stock1882
milla1884
pinwheel1885
wheel vat1885
1841 Leeds Intelligencer 13 Mar. 1/6 To sell by Auction... Frame for Softening machine.
1844 Dollar Farmer Sept. 41/1 In France and Germany, they have softening machines for hemp.
1875 E. H. Knight Amer. Mech. Dict. III. 2238/1 Softening-machine, (Leather,) a machine..for beating the hides in water to saturate them.
1972 J. Berger G. ix. 284 When she was working on the softening machine she had to dampen the streaks of jute by pouring an emulsion of whale oil and water on them.
2010 Pakistan Textile Jrnl. (Nexis) 31 Mar. Drying cylinders, sanforizing, denim finishing range and softening machines.
softening works n. a place where drinking water is softened.
ΘΚΠ
the world > physical sensation > cleanness and dirtiness > freedom from impurities > removal of impurities > desalination or softening of water > [noun] > apparatus or chemical
ship-fountain1626
water softener1867
softening works1877
1877 Hampshire Advertiser 30 June 1/2 The different authorities take the water in bulk, and include pumping engine and boiler,..softening works.., sluice cocks and branches.
1931 Water Works Engin. 6 May 587/1 Increasing interest in municipal water softening in Kansas is apparent. Several cities are contemplating softening works at the present time.
2015 N. K. Shammas & L. K. Wang Water Engin. xviii. 567/1 Postponing chlorination until recarbonation has lowered the pH in lime-soda softening works.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, December 2016; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
softeningadj.
/ˈsɒfnɪŋ/, /ˈsɒfn̩ɪŋ/, U.S. /ˈsɔf(ə)nɪŋ/, /ˈsɑf(ə)nɪŋ/ 1.
a. That makes something physically soft or softer; reducing hardness, stiffness, roughness, etc.; (in early use Medicine) soothing, emollient.
ΘΚΠ
the world > matter > constitution of matter > softness > [adjective] > becoming or making soft
softinga1398
softeninga1400
malaxing?a1425
mollifying?c1425
suppliant1631
malacissant1638
inteneratinga1711
a1400 tr. Lanfranc Sci. Cirurgie (Ashm.) (1894) 360 (MED) The vij co. is of mollificatiuis [L. mollificatiuis] or softenyng medicyns.
?c1425 tr. Guy de Chauliac Grande Chirurgie (Paris) (1971) 375 (MED) Hardenesse of ioyntz folowynge þe gowtes..is amended with homely mollificatives..enoynte þe place first wiþ some mollificatyf, i. softenynge, medecyne [L. cum aliquo mollificato].
1562 W. Bullein Dial. Sorenes f. 13, in Bulwarke of Defence You muste use mollifications, and softenyng medicenes.
1621 D. Widdowes tr. W. A. Scribonius Nat. Philos. 35 His oyle for hot and softning nature [L. emollientem naturam] helpeth diseases of the brest.
1695 J. Pechey Store-house Physical Pract. lviii. 291 The following Pultis is very softning, and Anodyne.
1733 H. Bracken in W. Burdon Gentleman's Pocket-farrier (new ed.) 11 You ought to keep the Foot..covered with any softning Poultice.
1769 H. Brooke Fool of Quality IV. xvii. 10 I got some softening cream and spread it over the burn.
1771 L. Carter Diary 31 Mar. (1965) I. 555 I ordered a mild softning dose of Ellexir Salutis.
1861 F. A. Paley Æschylus' Prometheus (ed. 2) 388 (note) Reducing a swelling by softening applications.
1904 Canad. Shoe & Leather Jrnl. 17 42/2 There is some chemical substance in the old layaways which is very softening to leather.
1961 New Scientist 10 Aug. 333/2 Further softening chemicals are added to the boiler water to deal with the remaining hardness.
2015 Hull Daily Mail (Nexis) 3 Feb. 7 Beautiful softening cream with a light, floral fragrance.
b. That softens (in various non-physical senses); esp. that makes a person or thing less harsh, severe, or intense in feeling, appearance, or sensation.
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > manner of action > lack of violence, severity, or intensity > [adjective] > making less violent or severe
allayingOE
temperativec1430
moderativec1487
moderating1583
softening1600
tempering1612
appeasing1648
modulating1751
palliating1758
mitigatory1813
chastening1814
mildening1842
mitigating1903
the mind > will > decision > irresolution or vacillation > [adjective] > of purpose, resolution, etc.
softening1600
vacillatorya1734
unfirm1771
equivocal1791
vacillating1828
vacillate1830
mammered1842
ambivalent1923
hedgy1928
on-again off-again1946
the mind > emotion > aspects of emotion > capacity for emotion > sensitiveness or tenderness > [adjective] > making sensitive or tender
melting1593
softening1600
sensitizing1852
toning1891
1600 Abp. G. Abbot Expos. Prophet Ionah xix. 407 It is the Lords owne word, a softening, seasoning, piercing, a working, winning word.
1644 J. Milton Doctr. Divorce (ed. 2) 19 To unsettle our constancie with timrous and softning suggestions.
a1668 W. Davenant Man's the Master (1669) v. 68 [Do you] yet strive, with softning pity, to allay that courage?
1729 W. Law Serious Call xvii. 315 We may deceive our selves..with vain and softning comments upon these words.
1794 E. Williams Poems II. 4 He..blended with her glaring hues The soft'ning tints of Art.
1847 W. H. Prescott Hist. Conquest Peru II. iv. iii. 140 When..time had..thrown its softening veil over the past.
1894 M. Dyan All in Man's Keeping II. 126 Under the softening shade of her parasol.
1951 Amer. Bar Assoc. Jrnl. Jan. 46/2 She exercised a softening influence on his manly nature.
2014 San Jose (Calif.) Mercury News (Nexis) 3 Oct. A similar softening effect can come from painting the walls in contrasting colors.
2. Becoming soft or softer (in various senses).
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > manner of action > lack of violence, severity, or intensity > [adjective] > becoming less violent, vigorous, or severe
softening1685
remissive1686
abating1727
subsiding1779
slacking1859
slowing1877
surceasing1881
slackening1886
the mind > emotion > aspects of emotion > capacity for emotion > sensitiveness or tenderness > [adjective] > becoming sensitive or tender
softening1685
the world > action or operation > behaviour > good behaviour > kindness > gentleness or mildness > [adjective] > becoming
softening1865
1685 in N. Tate Poems by Several Hands 227 Possibly your softning heart may pity me.
1717 S. Croxall in J. Dryden et al. tr. Ovid Metamorphoses viii. 264 The soft'ning Wax, that felt a nearer Sun, Dissolv'd apace, and soon began to run.
1730 J. Thomson Hymn on Seasons in Seasons 231 Wide-flush the fields; the softening air is balm.
1801 M. G. Lewis Alfonso iii. 55 Each look, each feature speaks it, Speaks too a softening heart.
1853 E. K. Kane U.S. Grinnell Exped. xviii. 140 With a gradually softening tint.
1865 C. Dickens Our Mutual Friend II. iii. ii. 15 ‘I can believe that,’ said Miss Abbey, with a softening glance at the little creature.
1898 T. C. Allbutt et al. Syst. Med. V. 250 Occasionally the enlarged and softening glands adhere to a contiguous organ.
1925 Annalist 31 July 119/2 Wheat has continued to display the softening price tendencies of the preceding week.
1962 J. Onslow Bowler-hatted Cowboy v. 46 The rough-lock bit deep into the softening ice and mud.
2001 Evening Standard 29 Oct. 12 The Government's softening stance on cannabis is yet to filter down to the West End.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, December 2016; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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n.?a1425adj.a1400