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firm in resisting; impressible; yielding; also, malleable; -- opposed to Ant: hard; as, a soft bed; a soft peach; soft earth; soft wood or metal.

Steel low in carbon; mild steel; ingot iron.

Having the fin rays cartilaginous or flexible; without spines; -- said of certain fishes.

Weak in intellect.

Having softness or tenderness of heart; susceptible of pity or other kindly affection; gentle; meek. -- Soft"-heart`ed*ness, n.

Having a soft or fragile shell. Soft-shell clam (Zoöl.), the long clam. See Mya. -- Soft-shelled crab. (Zoöl.) See the Note under Crab, 1. -- Soft-shelled turtle. (Zoöl.) Same as Soft tortoise, under Soft.

Speaking softly; having a mild or gentle voice; hence, mild; affable.

Any one attached to a Mohammedan mosque, esp. a student of the higher branches of theology in a mosque school. [Written also sophta.]

To make soft or more soft. Specifically: --

One who, or that which, softens. [Written also, less properly, softner.]

from Soften, v. Softening of the brain, or Cerebral softening (Med.), a localized softening of the brain substance, due to hemorrhage or inflammation. Three varieties, distinguished by their color and representing different stages of the morbid process, are known respectively as red, yellow, and white, softening.…

Somewhat soft. De Witt Clinton.

A soft, effeminate person; a voluptuary. [R.] Bp. Woolton. .

In a soft manner.

See Softener.

The quality or state of being soft; -- opposed to Ant: hardness, and used in the various specific senses of the adjective.

Spurge nettle. See under Nettle.

Not soft; hard; coarse; rough. [Obs.] "Bristles of his beard unsoft." Chaucer.

eir size or figure, the act is called abstraction. So, also, when it considers whiteness, softness, virtue, existence, as separate from any particular objects.

A quality or attribute in distinction from the substance, as sweetness, softness.