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soften up

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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
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Do you know the difference between everyday US and UK terminology? Test yourself with this quiz on words that differ across the Atlantic.
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In the UK, COTTON CANDY is more commonly known as…
candystring
candyfloss
candypuff
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Words nearby soften up

soft 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

Words related to soften up

dominate, impress, inspire, overrule, persuade, alleviate, cajole, finagle, allure, bait, bamboozle, beguile, blandish, charm, coax, con, decoy, ensnare, entrap, hook

How to use soften up in a sentence

Other Idioms and Phrases with soften up

soften 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.
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