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Meaning of "soften up" in the English dictionary

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DICTIONARY
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PRONUNCIATION OF SOFTEN UP

soften up play
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GRAMMATICAL CATEGORY OF SOFTEN UP

noun
adjective
verb
adverb
pronoun
preposition
conjunction
determiner
exclamation
Soften up is a verb.
The verb is the part of the sentence that is conjugated and expresses action and state of being.

WHAT DOES SOFTEN UP MEAN IN ENGLISH?

Definition of soften up in the English dictionary

The first definition of soften up in the dictionary is to make or become soft. Other definition of soften up is to weaken by shelling, bombing, etc. Soften up is also to weaken the resistance of by persuasive talk, advances, etc.


WORDS THAT BEGIN LIKE SOFTEN UP

soft-shelled
soft-shelled turtle
soft-shoe
soft-soap
soft-spoken
softa
softback
softball
softballer
soften
softener
softening of the brain
softhead
softheadedly
softhearted
softheartedly
softheartedness
softie
softish
softling

WORDS THAT END LIKE SOFTEN UP

brain up
button up
clean up
even up
gen up
harden up
join up
keep one´s chin up
man up
open up
run up
sign up
skin up
straighten up
turn up

Synonyms and antonyms of soften up in the English dictionary of synonyms

SYNONYMS

Translation of «soften up» into 25 languages

TRANSLATOR
online translator

TRANSLATION OF SOFTEN UP

Find out the translation of soften up to 25 languages with our English multilingual translator.
The translations of soften up from English to other languages presented in this section have been obtained through automatic statistical translation; where the essential translation unit is the word «soften up» in English.

Translator English - Chinese

软化
1,325 millions of speakers

Translator English - Spanish

ablandar
570 millions of speakers

English

soften up
510 millions of speakers

Translator English - Hindi

नरम
380 millions of speakers
ar

Translator English - Arabic

تليين
280 millions of speakers

Translator English - Russian

смягчить
278 millions of speakers

Translator English - Portuguese

amolecer
270 millions of speakers

Translator English - Bengali

আপ soften
260 millions of speakers

Translator English - French

ramollir
220 millions of speakers

Translator English - Malay

Melembutkan
190 millions of speakers

Translator English - German

schwächen
180 millions of speakers

Translator English - Japanese

柔らかくする
130 millions of speakers

Translator English - Korean

약화
85 millions of speakers

Translator English - Javanese

Nyepetake
85 millions of speakers
vi

Translator English - Vietnamese

dịu dàng hơn
80 millions of speakers

Translator English - Tamil

மென்மையாக
75 millions of speakers

Translator English - Marathi

मऊ करणे
75 millions of speakers

Translator English - Turkish

Yumuşatmak
70 millions of speakers

Translator English - Italian

ammorbidire
65 millions of speakers

Translator English - Polish

zmiękczyć
50 millions of speakers

Translator English - Ukrainian

пом´якшити
40 millions of speakers

Translator English - Romanian

înmoaie
30 millions of speakers
el

Translator English - Greek

μαλακώσουν
15 millions of speakers
af

Translator English - Afrikaans

versag tot
14 millions of speakers
sv

Translator English - Swedish

mjuka upp
10 millions of speakers
no

Translator English - Norwegian

myke opp
5 millions of speakers

Trends of use of soften up

TRENDS

TENDENCIES OF USE OF THE TERM «SOFTEN UP»

The term «soften up» is regularly used and occupies the 75.828 position in our list of most widely used terms in the English dictionary.
0
100%
FREQUENCY
Regularly used
65
/100
The map shown above gives the frequency of use of the term «soften up» in the different countries.
Principal search tendencies and common uses of soften up
List of principal searches undertaken by users to access our English online dictionary and most widely used expressions with the word «soften up».

FREQUENCY OF USE OF THE TERM «SOFTEN UP» OVER TIME

The graph expresses the annual evolution of the frequency of use of the word «soften up» during the past 500 years. Its implementation is based on analysing how often the term «soften up» appears in digitalised printed sources in English between the year 1500 and the present day.

Examples of use in the English literature, quotes and news about soften up

EXAMPLES

10 ENGLISH BOOKS RELATING TO «SOFTEN UP»

Discover the use of soften up in the following bibliographical selection. Books relating to soften up and brief extracts from same to provide context of its use in English literature.
1
The Shock Doctrine: The Rise of Disaster Capitalism
The falling bombs, the bursts of terror, the pounding winds serve to soften up whole societies much as the blaring music and blows in the torture cells soften up prisoners. Like the terrorized prisoner who gives up the names of comrades and  ...
Naomi Klein, 2010
2
The Two-word Verb: A Dictionary of the Verb-preposition ...
T (2,4) To soften up hard putty you can mix it with linseed oil. [Make it pliable.] 2. T (2,4) The gardener softened up the hard clay soil by mixing in humus, wood ashes and sand. [Made it easier to work with.] 3. T (4,11) The captain called for a  ...
George A. Meyer, 1975
3
Brainfluence: 100 Ways to Persuade and Convince Consumers ...
Brainfluence. Takeaway: Soften. Up. Your. Prospects. If you want to be perceived as more flexible in Chapter 51: Soften Up Your Prospects Brainfluence Takeaway : Soften Up Your Prospects.
Roger Dooley, 2011
4
Cambridge Dictionary of American Idioms
... rates are going up, more scholarships will be available to soften the blow. * Not only were they losing their jobs, but they could not count on any financial cushion to soften the blow. soften sb/sth up, also soften up sb/sth to weaken someone ...
Paul Heacock, 2003
5
Oxford Thesaurus of English
2 the winds softened: die down, abate, subside, moderate, let up, calm down, lessen, grow less, decrease, diminish, slacken, dwindle, weaken. 1 soften someone up 1 they used long-range shelling to soften up defensive positions: weaken, ...
Maurice Waite, 2009
6
Good Housekeeping ...
I done got a revelation when I reads how I could soften up tum him into a lover by dietin' him up on vegetables" By L. Ray Balderston, BIS. Teachers College, Columbia University Author. dest fills anybody up wid bubblin' enthusii asm.
‎1912
7
Concise Oxford Spanish Dictionary: ...
... I ablandarse v pron «cera/cuero» to soften ((pei” 50m1» to soften up; «mirada ) ) to soften ablativo m ablative ablllCióllffirml) ablution (frml); hacer sus abluciones (frml 0 hum) to perform 0ne's ablutions (frml or hum) ablusado -da adj bloused, ...
Carol Styles Carvajal, Jane Horwood, Nicholas Rollin, 2004
8
Grand Dictionnaire Hachette-Oxford
radouber • raisin radouber /radube/ [1] vtr to grave [navire]; to mend [filet] radoucir /radusir/ [3] Avtr to soften [voix]; to soften up [personne]; to improve [humeur]; to make milder [temps] Bse radoucir vpr [voix] to become softer; [perVsonne] to ...
Marie-Hélène Corréard, Valerie Grundy, Jean-Benoit Ormal-Grenon, 2007
9
Women as Weapons of War: Iraq, Sex, and the Media
17This report suggests that thepresenceof women inthe AbuGhraib prison allowed for even more humiliating forms of abuse supposedly used to “soften up” prisoners before interrogation. Because of their“sex”and its seemingly“natural” effect ...
Kelly Oliver, 2013
10
A Leg Up on the Canon, Book 2: Adaptations of Shakespeare's ...
The duke is unhappy with his daughter's behavior and his solution is to enlist Proteus to assist to get Silvia to soften up towards Thurio . That young man suggests slandering Valentine with falsehood, cowardice and poor descent, “ three things ...
Jim Mcgahern, 2012

10 NEWS ITEMS WHICH INCLUDE THE TERM «SOFTEN UP»

Find out what the national and international press are talking about and how the term soften up is used in the context of the following news items.
1
Bid to 'soften up' cancer cells
"This new combination could 'soften-up' cancer cells, making it easier for chemotherapy to deliver the final blow and destroy the tumour. And the good news is ... «BT.com, Jul 15»
2
Letter: Now is not the time to soften up on crime
There is growing support to repeal mandatory sentencing for drug offenses sponsored by numerous state legislators and also backed by a Washington-based ... «Gloucester Daily Times, Jun 15»
3
Tough Titans soften up at baby shower for moms in need
The inaugural Titan Up for Tots Community Baby Shower was hosted at the Saint Thomas Sports Park by the Tennessee Titans and United Way of Metropolitan ... «WKRN.com, May 15»
4
Barry Hall fronts asks Aussies to 'soften up' in non-illness related …
Kleenex is asking Australians to embrace their softer side in their new campaign for tissues with former AFL hard man Barry Hall showing his softer side. Created ... «MuMbrella, May 15»
5
Daniel Levy to soften up as Tottenham look to flog Roberto Soldado …
Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy is set to soften his infamous hardball negotiating technique to aid the club's summer firesale. Mauricio Pochettino wants to ... «Daily Mail, May 15»
6
Kelley Paul's trail advice to husband Rand: Soften up and share
NEW YORK — As Rand Paul runs for president, wife Kelley Paul has a new role: helping soften the public image of her husband, an ophthalmologist who can ... «Washington Post, Apr 15»
7
How to soften up Bloodborne's hard-as-hell bosses: Leave the game …
There's an easy way to nerf Bloodborne's bosses: Leave the game running for about 12 hours. With the PlayStation 4 finally introducing a suspend-and-resume ... «Polygon, Apr 15»
8
Munster soften up Connacht before claiming bonus-point victory
Munster 42 Connacht 20. Munster ended up with six tries and a bonus-point victory, skewed slightly by scoring three in the final eight minutes, although they will ... «Irish Times, Mar 15»
9
Iditarod Trail Begins To Soften Up, Slows Down
Mushers have been travelling this year' Iditarod trail from Fairbanks with few complains, but after the left Tanana Wednesday, they found a slow, soft trail. «Alaska Public Radio Network, Mar 15»
10
14 Hand Creams to Soften Up Your Dry, Parched Granny Hands …
My hand cream addiction started during those brutal Boston winters in college, when I'd blow all my money on $30 tubes of Clarins Hand and Nail Treatment (or ... «Fashionista, Jan 15»

REFERENCE
« EDUCALINGO. Soften up [online]. Available <https://educalingo.com/en/dic-en/soften-up>. Apr 2024 ».
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