Soft ray

Soft \Soft\ (s[o^]ft; 115), a. [Compar. {Softer}
   (s[o^]ft"[~e]r); superl. {Softest}.] [OE. softe, AS.
   s[=o]fte, properly adv. of s[=e]fte, adj.; akin to OS.
   s[=a]fto, adv., D. zacht, OHG. samfto, adv., semfti, adj., G.
   sanft, LG. sacht; of uncertain origin.]
   1. Easily yielding to pressure; easily impressed, molded, or
      cut; not firm in resisting; impressible; yielding; also,
      malleable; -- opposed to {hard}; as, a soft bed; a soft
      peach; soft earth; soft wood or metal.
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   2. Not rough, rugged, or harsh to the touch; smooth;
      delicate; fine; as, soft silk; a soft skin.
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            They that wear soft clothing are in king's houses.
                                                  --Matt. xi. 8.
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   3. Hence, agreeable to feel, taste, or inhale; not irritating
      to the tissues; as, a soft liniment; soft wines. "The
      soft, delicious air." --Milton.
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   4. Not harsh or offensive to the sight; not glaring; pleasing
      to the eye; not exciting by intensity of color or violent
      contrast; as, soft hues or tints.
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            The sun, shining upon the upper part of the clouds .
            . . made the softest lights imaginable. --Sir T.
                                                  Browne.
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   5. Not harsh or rough in sound; gentle and pleasing to the
      ear; flowing; as, soft whispers of music.
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            Her voice was ever soft,
            Gentle, and low, -- an excellent thing in woman.
                                                  --Shak.
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            Soft were my numbers; who could take offense?
                                                  --Pope.
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   6. Easily yielding; susceptible to influence; flexible;
      gentle; kind.
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            I would to God my heart were flint, like Edward's;
            Or Edward's soft and pitiful, like mine. --Shak.
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            The meek or soft shall inherit the earth. --Tyndale.
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   7. Expressing gentleness, tenderness, or the like; mild;
      conciliatory; courteous; kind; as, soft eyes.
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            A soft answer turneth away wrath.     --Prov. xv. 1.
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            A face with gladness overspread,
            Soft smiles, by human kindness bred.  --Wordsworth.
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   8. Effeminate; not courageous or manly, weak.
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            A longing after sensual pleasures is a dissolution
            of the spirit of a man, and makes it loose, soft,
            and wandering.                        --Jer. Taylor.
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   9. Gentle in action or motion; easy.
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            On her soft axle, white she paces even,
            And bears thee soft with the smooth air along.
                                                  --Milton.
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   10. Weak in character; impressible.
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             The deceiver soon found this soft place of Adam's.
                                                  --Glanvill.
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   11. Somewhat weak in intellect. [Colloq.]
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             He made soft fellows stark noddies, and such as
             were foolish quite mad.              --Burton.
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   12. Quiet; undisturbed; paceful; as, soft slumbers.
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   13. Having, or consisting of, a gentle curve or curves; not
       angular or abrupt; as, soft outlines.
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   14. Not tinged with mineral salts; adapted to decompose soap;
       as, soft water is the best for washing.
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   15. (Phonetics)
       (a) Applied to a palatal, a sibilant, or a dental
           consonant (as g in gem, c in cent, etc.) as
           distinguished from a guttural mute (as g in go, c in
           cone, etc.); -- opposed to {hard}.
       (b) Belonging to the class of sonant elements as
           distinguished from the surd, and considered as
           involving less force in utterance; as, b, d, g, z, v,
           etc., in contrast with p, t, k, s, f, etc.
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   {Soft clam} (Zool.), the common or long clam ({Mya
      arenaria}). See {Mya}.

   {Soft coal}, bituminous coal, as distinguished from
      anthracite, or hard, coal.

   {Soft crab} (Zool.), any crab which has recently shed its
      shell.

   {Soft dorsal} (Zool.), the posterior part of the dorsal fin
      of fishes when supported by soft rays.

   {Soft grass}. (Bot.) See {Velvet grass}.

   {Soft money}, paper money, as distinguished from coin, or
      hard money. [Colloq. U.S.]

   {Soft mute}. (Phonetics) See {Media}.

   {Soft palate}. See the Note under {Palate}.

   {Soft ray} (Zool.), a fin ray which is articulated and
      usually branched.

   {Soft soap}. See under {Soap}.

   {Soft-tack}, leavened bread, as distinguished from
      {hard-tack}, or {ship bread}.

   {Soft tortoise} (Zool.), any river tortoise of the genus
      Trionyx. See {Trionyx}.
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