Relented vs Soften - What's the difference?
relented | soften |
(relent)
To become less severe or intense; to become less hard, harsh, or cruel; to soften in temper; to become more mild and tender; to feel compassion.
* Shakespeare
To slacken; to abate.
(obsolete) To lessen, make less severe or fast.
* 1590 , Edmund Spenser, The Faerie Queene , III.iv:
(dated) To become less rigid or hard; to soften; to yield; to dissolve; to melt; to deliquesce.
* Boyle
* Alexander Pope
To make something soft or softer.
To undermine the morale of someone (often soften up ).
To make less harsh
* '>citation
To become soft or softer
As verbs the difference between relented and soften
is that relented is past tense of relent while soften is to make something soft or softer.relented
English
Verb
(head)relent
English
Derived terms
* relentlessVerb
(en verb)- He relented of his plan to murder his opponent, and decided just to teach him a lesson instead.
- I did, I suppose, hope that she might finally relent a little and make some conciliatory response or other. (from "The Remains of the Day"? by Kazuo Ishiguro)
- Can you behold / My sighs and tears, and will not once relent ?
- We waited for the storm to relent before we ventured outside.
- He will not relent in his effort to reclaim his victory.
- But nothing might relent her hastie flight; / So deepe the deadly feare of that foule swaine / Was earst impressed in her gentle spright [...].
- [Salt of tartar] placed in a cellar will begin to relent .
- When opening buds salute the welcome day, / And earth, relenting , feels the genial ray.
soften
English
Verb
(en verb)- Soften the butter before beating in the sugar.
- Before the invasion, we softened up the enemy with the artillery.
- Having second thoughts, I softened my criticism.
- The butter softened as it warmed up.
