different between soften vs muffle
soften
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)
- (transitive) To make something soft or softer.
- Soften the butter before beating in the sugar.
- (transitive) To undermine the morale of someone (often soften up).
- Before the invasion, we softened up the enemy with the artillery.
- (transitive) To make less harsh
- Having second thoughts, I softened my criticism.
- (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
soften From the web:
- what softens stool
- what softens toenails
- what softens ear wax
- what softens the cervix
- what softens leather
- what softens calluses
- what softens water
- what softens cuticles
muffle
English
Etymology
From Middle English muflen (“to muffle”), aphetic alteration of Anglo-Norman amoufler, from Old French enmoufler (“to wrap up, muffle”), from moufle (“mitten”), from Medieval Latin muffula (“a muff”), of Germanic origin (—first recorded in the Capitulary of Aachen in 817 C.E.), from Frankish *muffël (“a muff, wrap, envelope”) from *mauwa (“sleeve, wrap”) (from Proto-Germanic *maww? (“sleeve”)) + *vël (“skin, hide”) (from Proto-Germanic *fell? (“skin, film, fleece”). Alternate etymology traces the Medieval Latin word to Frankish *molfell (“soft garment made of hide”) from *mol (“softened, forworn”) (akin to Old High German molaw?n (“to soften”), Middle High German molwic (“soft”), English mulch) + *fell (“hide, skin”).
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /m?fl?/
- Rhymes: -?f?l
Noun
muffle (plural muffles)
- Anything that mutes or deadens sound.
- A warm piece of clothing for the hands.
- (slang, archaic) A boxing glove.
- A kiln or furnace, often electric, with no direct flames (a muffle furnace)
- The bare end of the nose between the nostrils, especially in ruminants.
- A machine with two pulleys to hoist load by spinning wheels, polyspast, block and tackle.
Translations
Verb
muffle (third-person singular simple present muffles, present participle muffling, simple past and past participle muffled)
- (transitive) To wrap (a person, face etc.) in fabric or another covering, for warmth or protection; often with up.
- The face lies muffled up within the garment.
- He muffled with a cloud his mournful eyes.
- 1712, John Arbuthnot, The History of John Bull
- muffled up in darkness and superstition
- (transitive) To wrap up or cover (a source of noise) in order to deaden the sound.
- to muffle the strings of a drum, or that part of an oar which rests in the rowlock
- (transitive) To mute or deaden (a sound etc.).
- 1999, George RR Martin, A Clash of Kings, Bantam 2011, p. 397:
- The singer's voice was muffled by the thick walls, yet Tyrion knew the verse.
- 1999, George RR Martin, A Clash of Kings, Bantam 2011, p. 397:
- (intransitive, dated) To speak indistinctly, or without clear articulation.
- (transitive, dated) To prevent seeing, or hearing, or speaking, by wraps bound about the head; to blindfold; to deafen.
Translations
muffle From the web:
- what muffler fits my car
- what muffler is the loudest
- what muffler should i get
- what muffles sound
- what muffler shop is open today
- what muffler sounds good on a v6
- what muffles sound the best
- what muffler does
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