"soften" in the verb sense
1. soften
make (images or sounds) soft or softer
2. dampen, damp, soften, weaken, break
lessen in force or effect
"soften a shock"
"break a fall"
3. yield, relent, soften
give in, as to influence or pressure
4. cushion, buffer, soften
protect from impact
"cushion the blow"
5. mince, soften, moderate
make less severe or harsh
"He moderated his tone when the students burst out in tears"
6. soften
make soft or softer
"This liquid will soften your laundry"
7. soften
become soft or softer
"The bread will soften if you pour some liquid on it"
Source: WordNet® (An amazing lexical database of English)
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