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WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2024soft′ ped′al, - Music and DanceAlso called una corda pedal. a pedal, as on a piano, for reducing tonal volume.
- Informal Termssomething that restrains or dampens:to put a soft pedal on one's enthusiasm.
soft-ped•al (sôft′ped′l, soft′-),USA pronunciation v., -aled, -al•ing or (esp. Brit.) -alled, -al•ling. v.i. - Music and Danceto use the soft pedal.
v.t. - Music and Danceto soften the sound of by using the soft pedal.
- Informal Termsto tone or play down;
make less strong, as an idea or fact:The dean soft-pedaled the reports of cheating.
- verb, verbal use of noun, nominal phrase soft pedal 1915–20
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2024ˈsoft-ˈped•al, v. [~ + object], -aled, -al•ing or (esp. Brit.) -alled, -al•ling. - Informal Termsto attempt to make (something) appear less obvious or objectionable;
downplay:When the salesman saw their interest, he soft-pedaled the high price of the car.
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers:: soft-pedal vb ( -als, -alling, -alled) ( US -als, -aling, -aled)(transitive)- to mute the tone of (a piano) by depressing the soft pedal
- informal to make (something, esp something unpleasant) less obvious by deliberately failing to emphasize or allude to it
n soft pedal - a foot-operated lever on a piano, the left one of two, that either moves the whole action closer to the strings so that the hammers strike with less force or causes fewer of the strings to sound
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