different between soften vs slake
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
slake
English
Pronunciation
- (UK) IPA(key): /sle?k/
- Rhymes: -e?k
Etymology 1
From Middle English slaken (“to render slack, to slake”), from Middle English sleacian, from sleac (“slack”).
The modern Swedish verb släcka retains most of the same meanings as listed below, as in släcka sin törst (“quench one's thirst”), släcka elden (“put out the fire”), and släckt kalk (“slaked lime”).
Verb
slake (third-person singular simple present slakes, present participle slaking, simple past and past participle slaked)
- (transitive) To satisfy (thirst, or other desires). [from 14thc.]
- Synonyms: quench, extinguish
- (transitive) To cool (something) with water or another liquid. [from 14thc.]
- 1961, Lawrence Durrell, Justine, p.14:
- Notes for landscape tones. Long sequences of tempera. Light filtered through the essence of lemons. An air full of brick-dust - sweet smelling brick dust and the odour of hot pavements slaked with water.
- 1961, Lawrence Durrell, Justine, p.14:
- (intransitive) To become mixed with water, so that a true chemical combination takes place.
- (transitive) To mix with water, so that a true chemical combination takes place.
- (intransitive, obsolete) Of a person: to become less energetic, to slacken in one's efforts. [11th-17thc.]
- (intransitive, obsolete) To slacken; to become relaxed or loose. [11th-16thc.]
- 1595, John Davies, Orchestra
- When the body's strongest sinews slake.
- 1595, John Davies, Orchestra
- (intransitive, obsolete) To become less intense; to weaken, decrease in force. [14th-19thc.]
- (intransitive, obsolete) To go out; to become extinct.
- 1613, William Browne, Britannia's Pastorals
- His flame did slake.
- 1613, William Browne, Britannia's Pastorals
Derived terms
- slaked
- slake trough
Translations
Etymology 2
Probably connected with Icelandic sleikja, "to lick", and German schlecken (“to lick”).
Verb
slake (third-person singular simple present slakes, present participle slaking, simple past and past participle slaked)
- (transitive, Scotland) To besmear.
Noun
slake (plural slakes)
- (Scotland) A sloppy mess.
Anagrams
- Akels, LASEK, Lakes, Leaks, kales, lakes, leaks
Norwegian Bokmål
Adjective
slake
- definite singular/plural of slak
Norwegian Nynorsk
Adjective
slake
- definite singular/plural of slak
slake From the web:
- what's slaked lime
- slake meaning
- slacker means
- slacken mean
- slaked lime meaning
- slake what does it mean
- what does slacken mean
- what is slaked lime used for
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