softly
/ˈsɒftli
/adverb
1In a careful and gentle manner: John kissed Cynthia softly and tenderly she softly brushed the tears away...
- One by one she demonstrated her appreciation by softly stroking their hands.
- He touches softly at his guitar in that electric samba style, and his breathy croon winds the melody in and out of the occasional low swell of horns.
- She was lying perfectly still, looking at me with eyes wide open, and softly patting her sister with her free hand.
1.1With a quiet and gentle voice or sound: he whispered softly in my ear the TV was murmuring softly a softly spoken woman...
- From behind her door came the sound of a man singing an old country song, the guitar strumming softly in the background.
- At the close, he switches back to the minor, violins softly reiterating the sad opening motive like a threnody of distilled passion.
- From the first softly sonorous piano tones, Bronfman played with a fierce passion that was riveting.
1.2In a pleasantly subdued manner: the softly glowing fire candlelight softly lit the restaurant...
- She effortlessly keeps a delicate, softly humorous tone throughout the film.
- A large oculus brings a cylinder of light down into the main library, bathing the interior in a softly luminous glow.
- The interior of the temple is softly illuminated by daylight filtering through perforated screens on the eastern walls.
1.3In a smooth and gradual manner: softly undulating hills her softly rounded belly...
- The shimmering, sparkling Gulf waters have you, softly rolling up and down, up and down, up and down.
- For a playful hairstyle, add any type of texture you like, from softly waved to super-coiled.
- Its softly rippled surface is comforting against my cheek.