different between soften vs deaden

English

Etymology

From Middle English softenen, softnen, equivalent to soft +? -en.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /?s?f?n/, enPR: s?f?en
• (US) IPA^(key): /?s?f?n/, enPR: sôf?en
• (US, cot–caught merger, Canada) IPA^(key): /?s?f?n/, enPR: s?f?en

Verb

soften (third-person singular simple present softens, present participle softening, simple past and past participle softened)

1. (transitive) To make something soft or softer.

   Soften the butter before beating in the sugar.

2. (transitive) To undermine the morale of someone (often soften up).

   Before the invasion, we softened up the enemy with the artillery.

3. (transitive) To make less harsh

   Having second thoughts, I softened my criticism.
4. (intransitive) To become soft or softer

   The butter softened as it warmed up.

Derived terms

• soften the ground
• softener

Translations

See also

• mollify
• neshen

Anagrams

• Sefton

English

Etymology

dead +? -en. Compare Dutch doden (“to kill”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?d?d?n/
• Rhymes: -?d?n

Verb

deaden (third-person singular simple present deadens, present participle deadening, simple past and past participle deadened)

1. (transitive) To render less lively; to diminish; to muffle.
2. (intransitive) To become less lively; to diminish (by itself).
3. (transitive) To make soundproof.

   to deaden a wall or a floor

Translations

Anagrams

• deaned