What is the difference between soft and hard?

In context|physics|lang=en terms the difference between soft and hard

is that soft is (physics) of a ferromagnetic material; a material that becomes essentially non magnetic when an external magnetic field is removed, a material with a low magnetic coercivity (compare hard) while hard is (physics) of a ferromagnetic material, having the capability of being a permanent magnet by being a material with high magnetic coercivity (compare soft).

In context|of a person|lang=en terms the difference between soft and hard

is that soft is (of a person) physically or emotionally weak while hard is (of a person) severe, harsh, unfriendly, brutal.

As adjectives the difference between soft and hard

is that soft is giving way under pressure while hard is resistant to pressure.

As adverbs the difference between soft and hard

is that soft is (obsolete) softly; without roughness or harshness; gently; quietly while hard is (manner) with much force or effort.

As nouns the difference between soft and hard

is that soft is a soft or foolish person; an idiot while hard is (nautical) a firm or paved beach or slope convenient for hauling vessels out of the water.

As a interjection soft

is (archaic) be quiet; hold; stop; not so fast.

soft

English

Adjective

(er)

Easily giving way under pressure.

My head sank easily into the soft pillow.

(of cloth or similar material) Smooth and flexible; not rough, rugged, or harsh.

Polish the silver with a soft cloth to avoid scratching.

soft''' silk; a '''soft skin

* Bible, Matt. xi. 8

They that wear soft clothing are in kings' houses.

Gentle.

There was a soft breeze blowing.

* Shakespeare

I would to God my heart were flint, like Edward's; / Or Edward's soft and pitiful, like mine.

* Tyndale

The meek or soft shall inherit the earth.

Expressing gentleness or tenderness; mild; conciliatory; courteous; kind.

soft eyes

* Bible, Proverbs xv. 1

A soft answer turneth away wrath.

* Wordsworth

A face with gladness overspread, / Soft smiles, by human kindness bred.

Gentle in action or motion; easy.

* Milton

On her soft axle, white she paces even, / And bears thee soft with the smooth air along.

Weak in character; impressible.

* Glanvill

The deceiver soon found this soft place of Adam's.

Requiring little or no effort; easy.

a soft job

Not bright or intense.

soft lighting

(of a road intersection) Having an acute angle.

At the intersection, there are two roads going to the left. Take the soft left.

(of a sound) Quiet.

I could hear the soft rustle of the leaves in the trees.

* Shakespeare

Her voice was ever soft , / Gentle, and low, — an excellent thing in woman.

(linguistics) voiced, sonant

DH represents the voiced (soft)'' th ''of English these clothes. —

(linguistics, rare) voiceless

(linguistics, Slavic languages) palatalized

(slang) Lacking strength or resolve, wimpy.

When it comes to drinking, he is as soft as they come.

(of water) Low in dissolved calcium compounds.

You won't need as much soap, as the water here is very soft .

(UK, colloquial) Foolish.

* Burton

He made soft fellows stark noddies, and such as were foolish quite mad.

(physics) Of a ferromagnetic material; a material that becomes essentially non magnetic when an external magnetic field is removed, a material with a low magnetic coercivity. (compare hard)

(of a person) Physically or emotionally weak.

Incomplete, or temporary; not a full action.

The admin imposed a soft''' block/ban on the user or a '''soft lock on the article.

(UK, of a man) Effeminate.

* Jeremy Taylor

A longing after sensual pleasures is a dissolution of the spirit of a man, and makes it loose, soft , and wandering.

Agreeable to the senses.

a soft liniment

soft wines

* Milton

the soft , delicious air

Not harsh or offensive to the sight; not glaring or jagged; pleasing to the eye.

soft colours

the soft outline of the snow-covered hill

* Sir Thomas Browne

The sun, shining upon the upper part of the clouds made the softest lights imaginable.

Synonyms

* (of a cloth) non-abrasive, fluffy * (gentle) gentle, light, nesh * (of a sound) quiet * (lacking strength or resolve) meek, mild, wimpy, nesh * (foolish) daft, foolish, silly, stupid

Antonyms

* (giving way under pressure) hard, resistant, solid, stony * (of a cloth) abrasive, scratchy * (gentle) harsh, rough, strong * (acute) hard * (of a sound) loud * (lacking strength or resolve) firm, strict, tough * (of water) hard * (foolish) sensible

Derived terms

* soft-boiled * soft copy * soft drink * soften * soft focus * soft-hearted * softly * softness * soft on * soft palate * soft power * soft science fiction * soft serve * soft shoe * soft soap * soft-spoken * soft touch * soft toy * software * softwood * softy

Interjection

(en interjection)

(archaic) Be quiet; hold; stop; not so fast.

* Shakespeare

Soft , you; a word or two before you go.

But, soft ! What light through yonder window breaks?

Adverb

(en adverb)

(lb) Softly; without roughness or harshness; gently; quietly.

*(Edmund Spenser) (c.1552–1599)

*:A knight soft riding toward them.

*:There was a neat hat-and-umbrella stand, and the stranger's weary feet fell soft on a good, serviceable dark-red drugget, which matched in colour the flock-paper on the walls.

Noun

(en noun)

A soft or foolish person; an idiot.

(George Eliot)

Statistics

* 1000 English basic words ----

hard

English

Adjective

(er)

(label) Having a severe property; presenting difficulty.

# Resistant to pressure.

# (label) Strong.

# (label) High in dissolved calcium compounds.

# Having the capability of being a permanent magnet by being a material with high magnetic coercivity (compare soft).

(label) Having a severe property; presenting difficulty.

# Requiring a lot of effort to do or understand.

#* 1988 , An Oracle , Edmund White

Ray found it hard to imagine having accumulated so many mannerisms before the dawn of sex, of the sexual need to please, of the staginess sex encourages or the tightly capped wells of poisoned sexual desire the disappointed must stand guard over.

#*{{quote-magazine, date=2013-07-26, author= Nick Miroff

, volume=189, issue=7, page=32, magazine=(The Guardian Weekly) , title= Mexico gets a taste for eating insects […] , passage=The San Juan market is Mexico City's most famous deli of exotic meats, where an adventurous shopper can hunt down hard -to-find critters such as ostrich, wild boar and crocodile.}}

# Demanding a lot of effort to endure.

# Severe, harsh, unfriendly, brutal.

# (label) Difficult to resist or control; powerful.

#* (w, Roger L'Estrange) (1616-1704)

The stag was too hard for the horse.

#* (Joseph Addison) (1672-1719)

a power which will be always too hard for them

Unquestionable.

* {{quote-news, year=2011, date=December 19, author=Kerry Brown, work=The Guardian

, title= Kim Jong-il obituary , passage=Unsurprisingly for a man who went into mourning for three years after the death in 1994 of his own father, the legendary leader Kim Il-sung, and who in the first 30 years of his political career made no public statements, even to his own people, Kim's career is riddled with claims, counter claims, speculation, and contradiction. There are few hard facts about his birth and early years. }}

(label) Having a comparatively larger or a ninety-degree angle.

Sexually aroused.

(label) Having muscles that are tightened as a result of intense, regular exercise.

(label)

# Plosive.

# Unvoiced

Hard' ''k'', ''t'', ''s'', ''ch'', as distinguished from '''soft , ''g'', ''d'', ''z'', ''j

(label) Having a severe property; presenting a barrier to enjoyment.

# Rigid in the drawing or distribution of the figures; formal; lacking grace of composition.

# Having disagreeable and abrupt contrasts in colour or shading.

(label) In the form of a hard copy.

We need both a digital archive and a hard archive.

Synonyms

* (resistant to pressure ): resistant, solid, stony * (requiring a lot of effort to do or understand ): confusing, difficult, puzzling, tough, tricky * (requiring a lot of effort to endure ): difficult, intolerable, tough, unbearable * (severe ): harsh, hostile, severe, strict, tough, unfriendly * (unquestionable ): incontrovertible, indubitable, unambiguous, unequivocal, unquestionable * (of drink ): strong * See also

Antonyms

* (resistant to pressure ): soft * (requiring a lot of effort to do or understand ): easy, simple, straightforward, trite * (requiring a lot of effort to endure ): bearable, easy * (severe ): agreeable, amiable, approachable, friendly, nice, pleasant * (unquestionable ): controvertible, doubtful, ambiguous, equivocal, questionable * (of drink ): ** (low in alcohol ): low-alcohol ** (non-alcoholic ): alcohol-free, soft, non-alcoholic * (of roads) soft * ("sexually aroused"): soft, flaccid

Derived terms

* between a rock and a hard place * die-hard * hard as nails * hard-ass * hardboard * hard-boiled * hard by * hard candy * hard case * hard cheese * hard-coded * hard copy * hardcore * hard disk/hard disc * hard done by * hard drink * hard-edged * harden * hard feelings * hard grass * hard hat * hard head * hard-hearted * hard-hitting * hard knocks * hard labor * hard light * hard-liner * hard lines * hard luck * hardness * hard news * hard-on * hard-pressed * hard radiation * hard sauce * hard science fiction * hard-shell * hard times * hard to come by * hard to please * hard up * hardware * hard water * hard-wire * hardwood * hard work * have it hard * play hard to get * (hard)

Adverb

(er)

(manner) With much force or effort.

He hit the puck hard up the ice.

They worked hard all week.

At the intersection, bear hard left.

The recession hit them especially hard .

Think hard about your choices.

* Dryden

prayed so hard for mercy from the prince

* Shakespeare

My father / Is hard at study; pray now, rest yourself.

(manner) With difficulty.

His degree was hard earned.

The vehicle moves hard .

(obsolete) So as to raise difficulties.

* Sir Thomas Browne

The question is hard set.

(manner) Compactly.

The lake had finally frozen hard .

Near, close.

* Bible, Acts xviii. 7

whose house joined hard to the synagogue

* 1999 , (George RR Martin), A Clash of Kings , Bantam 2011, p. 418:

It was another long day's march before they glimpsed the towers of Harrenhal in the distance, hard beside the blue waters of the lake.

Noun

(en noun)

(nautical) A firm or paved beach or slope convenient for hauling vessels out of the water

Statistics

* English manner adverbs 1000 English basic words ----