to make soft or more soft.-to render less hard; -- said of matter.-to mollify; to make less fierce or intractable.-to palliate; to represent as less enormous; as, to soften a fault.-to compose; to mitigate; to assuage.-to make less harsh, less rude, less offensive, or less violent, or to render of an opposite quality.-to make less glaring; to tone down; as, to soften the coloring of a picture.-to make tender; to make effeminate; to enervate; as, troops softened by luxury.-to make less harsh or grating, or of a quality the opposite; as, to soften the voice.-to become soft or softened, or less rude, harsh, severe, or obdurate.