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1. WordNet® 3.0 (2006)
soft palate
    n 1: a muscular flap that closes off the nasopharynx during
         swallowing or speaking [syn: soft palate, velum]

2. The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
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.
      [1913 Webster]

   2. Not rough, rugged, or harsh to the touch; smooth;
      delicate; fine; as, soft silk; a soft skin.
      [1913 Webster]

            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.
      [1913 Webster]

            The sun, shining upon the upper part of the clouds .
            . . made the softest lights imaginable. --Sir T.
                                                  Browne.
      [1913 Webster]

   5. Not harsh or rough in sound; gentle and pleasing to the
      ear; flowing; as, soft whispers of music.
      [1913 Webster]

            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.
      [1913 Webster]

   6. Easily yielding; susceptible to influence; flexible;
      gentle; kind.
      [1913 Webster]

            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.
      [1913 Webster]

   7. Expressing gentleness, tenderness, or the like; mild;
      conciliatory; courteous; kind; as, soft eyes.
      [1913 Webster]

            A soft answer turneth away wrath.     --Prov. xv. 1.
      [1913 Webster]

            A face with gladness overspread,
            Soft smiles, by human kindness bred.  --Wordsworth.
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   8. Effeminate; not courageous or manly, weak.
      [1913 Webster]

            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.
      [1913 Webster]

   10. Weak in character; impressible.
       [1913 Webster]

             The deceiver soon found this soft place of Adam's.
                                                  --Glanvill.
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   11. Somewhat weak in intellect. [Colloq.]
       [1913 Webster]

             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.
       [1913 Webster]

   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.
           [1913 Webster]

   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.
      [1913 Webster]

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