soft-pedalv.

Brit.

/ˌsɒf(t)ˈpɛdl/, U.S.

/ˈsɔf(t)ˌpɛdəl/,

/ˈsɑf(t)ˌpɛdəl/

Inflections: Present participle soft-pedalling, (chiefly U.S.) soft-pedaling; past tense and past participle soft-pedalled, (chiefly U.S.) soft-pedaled;

Origin: Formed within English, by conversion. Etymon: soft pedal n.

Etymology: < soft pedal n.

†1. transitive. With direct speech as object: to say quietly. Obsolete. rare.

ΘΚΠ

the world > physical sensation > hearing and noise > degree, kind, or quality of sound > faintness or weakness > make quieter [verb (transitive)]

soften1654

soft-pedal1898

the world > action or operation > manner of action > lack of violence, severity, or intensity > make less violent or severe [verb (transitive)] > make less forceful or vigorous

extenuate1561

quay1590

retund1604

lower1666

weaken1683

subdue1723

feeble1831

soft-pedal1898

the world > action or operation > manner of action > lack of violence, severity, or intensity > become less violent or severe [verb (intransitive)] > relax one's efforts > in respect of something

slakec1386

relax1687

soft-pedal1898

1898 Hutchinson (Kansas) News 21 Nov. 9/3 I could hear nothing. ‘In the corner,’ soft pedaled Constance.

2. To reduce in force or effect; esp. to refrain from emphasizing the more unpleasant aspects of; to tone down, play down.In earliest uses with reference to a literal reduction in the loudness of a sound, but subsequently figurative uses have always been far more common.

a. transitive.

ΘΚΠ

the world > relative properties > quantity > decrease or reduction in quantity, amount, or degree > reduce in quantity, amount, or degree [verb (transitive)] > tone down

temperc1000

modifyc1385

softenc1410

tame?a1500

qualify1536

temperatea1540

extenuate1561

supple1609

dilute1665

palliate1665

weaken1683

subdue1723

lower1780

modulate1783

to shade away1817

to water down1832

to water down1836

sober1838

veil1843

to tone down1847

to break down1859

soothe1860

tone1884

to key down1891

soft-pedal1912

1912 Washington Post 19 Mar. 5/3 A tenor voice that might be soft-pedaled occasionally to advantage.

1926 R. H. Davis Over my Left Shoulder xxix. 204 ‘Captain Sam heap mad!’ replied the Peacemaker, with no effort to soft pedal the announcement.

1957 W. H. Whyte Organization Man 52 Out of respect for the sense of the meeting you tend to soft-pedal that which would go against the grain.

1984 S. Terkel Good War (1985) iii. iv. 355 We'll probably not lose any readers..but maybe we should soft-pedal this political stuff.

2004 W. B. McCloskey Raiders iii. xxi. 307 They were smart enough to see that it was an outrage they'd better soft-pedal.

b. intransitive. Frequently with on.

ΚΠ

1916 G. A. England Pod, Bender & Co. i. 6 Can that! Soft pedal on that chatter, Ben!

1927 Daily Express 19 July 3/4 Both parties are at present ‘soft pedalling’ on the world-revolution thesis.

1953 A. Upfield Murder must Wait v. 47 ‘We'll get something out of her.’ ‘You will soft-pedal,’ Bony said quietly.

2006 Times (Nexis) 28 Feb. 31 Ministers meeting in Brussels soft-pedalled on sanctions against Serbia.

Derivatives

soft-ˈpedalling n.

ΘΚΠ

the world > action or operation > behaviour > good behaviour > restrained or moderate behaviour > [noun] > action of

soft-pedalling1907

punch-pulling1921

1907 Daily Nevada State Jrnl. 2 Aug. 4/2 A policy of palaver and soft pedalling.

1952 G. Raverat Period Piece x. 197 Uncle Lenny was far too judicious to need soft-pedalling.

1979 New Statesman 6 July 3/3 The concern of homophile organisations to make homosexuality an acceptable alternative has led to a distinct soft-pedalling on ticklish issues like paedophilia and transvestism.

2012 Australian (Nexis) 4 May 13 The result has been a soft-pedalling on human rights issues.

This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, December 2016; most recently modified version published online March 2022).

单词	soft-pedal
释义	soft-pedalv. Brit. /ˌsɒf(t)ˈpɛdl/, U.S. /ˈsɔf(t)ˌpɛdəl/, /ˈsɑf(t)ˌpɛdəl/ Inflections: Present participle soft-pedalling, (chiefly U.S.) soft-pedaling; past tense and past participle soft-pedalled, (chiefly U.S.) soft-pedaled; Origin: Formed within English, by conversion. Etymon: soft pedal n. Etymology: < soft pedal n. †1. transitive. With direct speech as object: to say quietly. Obsolete. rare. ΘΚΠ the world > physical sensation > hearing and noise > degree, kind, or quality of sound > faintness or weakness > make quieter [verb (transitive)] soften1654 soft-pedal1898 the world > action or operation > manner of action > lack of violence, severity, or intensity > make less violent or severe [verb (transitive)] > make less forceful or vigorous extenuate1561 quay1590 retund1604 lower1666 weaken1683 subdue1723 feeble1831 soft-pedal1898 the world > action or operation > manner of action > lack of violence, severity, or intensity > become less violent or severe [verb (intransitive)] > relax one's efforts > in respect of something slakec1386 relax1687 soft-pedal1898 1898 Hutchinson (Kansas) News 21 Nov. 9/3 I could hear nothing. ‘In the corner,’ soft pedaled Constance. 2. To reduce in force or effect; esp. to refrain from emphasizing the more unpleasant aspects of; to tone down, play down.In earliest uses with reference to a literal reduction in the loudness of a sound, but subsequently figurative uses have always been far more common. a. transitive. ΘΚΠ the world > relative properties > quantity > decrease or reduction in quantity, amount, or degree > reduce in quantity, amount, or degree [verb (transitive)] > tone down temperc1000 modifyc1385 softenc1410 tame?a1500 qualify1536 temperatea1540 extenuate1561 supple1609 dilute1665 palliate1665 weaken1683 subdue1723 lower1780 modulate1783 to shade away1817 to water down1832 to water down1836 sober1838 veil1843 to tone down1847 to break down1859 soothe1860 tone1884 to key down1891 soft-pedal1912 1912 Washington Post 19 Mar. 5/3 A tenor voice that might be soft-pedaled occasionally to advantage. 1926 R. H. Davis Over my Left Shoulder xxix. 204 ‘Captain Sam heap mad!’ replied the Peacemaker, with no effort to soft pedal the announcement. 1957 W. H. Whyte Organization Man 52 Out of respect for the sense of the meeting you tend to soft-pedal that which would go against the grain. 1984 S. Terkel Good War (1985) iii. iv. 355 We'll probably not lose any readers..but maybe we should soft-pedal this political stuff. 2004 W. B. McCloskey Raiders iii. xxi. 307 They were smart enough to see that it was an outrage they'd better soft-pedal. b. intransitive. Frequently with on. ΚΠ 1916 G. A. England Pod, Bender & Co. i. 6 Can that! Soft pedal on that chatter, Ben! 1927 Daily Express 19 July 3/4 Both parties are at present ‘soft pedalling’ on the world-revolution thesis. 1953 A. Upfield Murder must Wait v. 47 ‘We'll get something out of her.’ ‘You will soft-pedal,’ Bony said quietly. 2006 Times (Nexis) 28 Feb. 31 Ministers meeting in Brussels soft-pedalled on sanctions against Serbia. Derivatives soft-ˈpedalling n. ΘΚΠ the world > action or operation > behaviour > good behaviour > restrained or moderate behaviour > [noun] > action of soft-pedalling1907 punch-pulling1921 1907 Daily Nevada State Jrnl. 2 Aug. 4/2 A policy of palaver and soft pedalling. 1952 G. Raverat Period Piece x. 197 Uncle Lenny was far too judicious to need soft-pedalling. 1979 New Statesman 6 July 3/3 The concern of homophile organisations to make homosexuality an acceptable alternative has led to a distinct soft-pedalling on ticklish issues like paedophilia and transvestism. 2012 Australian (Nexis) 4 May 13 The result has been a soft-pedalling on human rights issues. This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, December 2016; most recently modified version published online March 2022). < v.1898
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