| 单词 | soften up |
| 释义 | soften upSEE SYNONYMS FOR soften up ON THESAURUS.COM verb (adverb)to make or become soft (tr) to weaken (an enemy's defences) by shelling, bombing, etc (tr) to weaken the resistance of (a person) by persuasive talk, advances, etc Words nearby soften upsoft drink, soft drug, soften, softener, softening of the brain, soften up, soft-finned, soft focus, soft-focus lens, soft fruit, soft furnishings Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012 Idioms and Phrases with soften upsoften up Reduce resistance, as in His sales motto was: a fine lunch and a few drinks often will soften up a prospective customer. This expression transfers lessening of physical hardness to lessening mental resistance. It was first used, however, in World War II, where it meant “reduce the enemy's defenses by preliminary bombing.” [c. 1940] The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. |
| 随便看 |
英语词典包含192737条英英释义在线翻译词条，基本涵盖了全部常用单词的英英翻译及用法，是英语学习的有利工具。