Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)

Hide Quotations Hide Etymology

Abbreviations Cite this entry

About this entry:
First published 2001 (DOST Vol. IX).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Soft, v. Also: softe, saft. [ME and e.m.E. softe(n (a1200), soft(yn (Prompt. Parv.); Soft adj.]

1. tr. a. To soothe a person (in respect of an injury). b. To assuage an injury.a. a1500 Sir Eger 2037 (L).
Salves … softed him and made him sleepb. a1400 Leg. S. xxxviii 295.
With a faire clath scho clengit thare bilis, & softyt hurtis that ware sare

c. To alleviate, assuage grief. a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 1055.
Wes nowthir solace nor sang thair sorow to soft

d. intr. Of a wound or the pain associated with it: To be or become soothed or assuaged. a1500 Sir Eger 412.
Your wounds … will soft and sober soon

2. intr. Of wind or storms: To abate.In quot. Boece conjugated with the verb to be in the perfect tense. 1456 Hay II 129/31.
Than begynnis drouthis and grete hete of sonne to regne and wyndis softis and temperis than 1533 Boece 263b.
Eftir the tempest of weddir sum parte was softit; Scottis & Pichtis [etc.]

3. reflex. To calm, restrain (oneself). a1500 Henr. Fab. 2386 (H).
Schir … we ar at it almaist; Soft ȝow ane litill and ȝe sall se it sone 1501 Doug. Pal. Hon. 1943.
‘Carling,’ quod I, ‘quhat was ȝone that thow said?' ‘Soft ȝow,' said scho, ‘thay ar not wise that stryifis’

4. tr. To weaken, debilitate, render less hardy or strong (the body or mind). 1456 Hay II 139/27.
Hate [water] in somer softis the stomak and makis it mare feble 1533 Boece 81b.
Apon ane hard flaik … suld [lay] thame to rest … fra all exercicion, quhilk mycht soft or mak thare myndis effamynate, thai suld abstene

5. To render (persons, their attitudes, etc.) less harsh, cruel or obdurate; to mollify, appease, pacify.(a) a1500 Bk. Chess 256.
Swet humanite Softis the cruell mynd & the e Off the princis dedlie enemys c1500-c1512 Dunb. (STS) lxii 22.
The mersy of that sweit meik Rois Suld soft ȝow, Thirsill 1533 Boece 326.
To induce gude maneris and soft the hartis of the auditoure, na thing was les effectuos than his wordis 1533 Bell. Livy I 46/15.
He saw the myndis of his pepill (sa lang as thai war hantit in rage and fury of weris) mycht nocht be softit nor temperat 1533 Bell. Livy I 185/8.
Meninius … softit the myndis of the said pepill in sic maner that thai war content to be recounsalit with the faderis 1533 Bell. Livy II 194/12.
The distributioun of thir landis softit … the myndis of small pepill(b) 1596 Dalr. II 156/32.
Thair hartes he had safted and freindet

6. To lessen, diminish; mitigate, weaken (an emotion, etc.). 1533 Boece 128.
The ardent corage of Cesius to fecht was sum parte softit 1533 Boece 170b.
Debarring fra his army … sic plesouris, as mycht effemynate or soft the curage of his folkis 1533 Boece 364b.
Ane schowte … that Inglis men war fled softit mekill the hardyment of Pichtis 1533 Bell. Livy I 30/6.
Providing so thai wald soft the indignacioun of thare myndis 1533 Bell. Livy I 206/27.
Thai belevit thare awne army within schorte tyme suld soft thare haterent and ingener sum hele in thare myndis 1533 Bell. Livy I 293/11.
His collegis … set thame … to soft his preis

b. intr. To become less intense, diminish. c1590 Fowler I 94/211.
Hence came my zeale to mollifie, and so thy flame to soft