Forms: 1 softnys(se, 4 softnis; 2–7 soft-, 4–7 softenesse, 4, 6 softe-, 4–7 softnes, 7– softness; 6 saft(e)nesse, 8– Sc. saftness. [f. SOFT a. + -NESS.] The state or quality of being soft, in various senses.
I. 1. Ease, comfort; delicacy, luxury; easy or voluptuous living.
c. 1000. Ælfric, in Assmann, Ags. Hom., ii. 59. Under Moyses laʓe men moston lybban on maran softnysse … þonne nu.
a. 1225. Ancr. R., 196. Þet flesch put propremen touward swetnesse & touward eise, & touward softnesse.
a. 1340. Hampole, Psalter iv. 9. I sall slepe … with all softnes.
1451. Capgrave, Life St. Gilbert, xvi. 86. To take hardnesse for softnesse, labour for ese.
1607. Shaks., Timon, V. i. 36. A Satyre against the softnesse of Prosperity.
1654. trans. Scudery’s Curia Politiæ, 181. If he live in the softness of Plenty, and a peaceful Estate, how apt will such a Prince be to be opposed and affronted by the injustice and insolency of his own Subjects?
1704. Hearne, Duct. Hist. (1714), I. 389. He spent the next year in Softness and Luxury.
1766. Ann. Reg., II. 10. The French noblesse … spend their lives in indolence, softness, and dissipation.
2. Mildness, gentleness; tenderness of character or disposition.
a. 1300. E. E. Psalter cxliv. 7. Minde of mighthed of þi softnesse Sal þai rift.
1382. Wyclif, Ecclus. xlv. 4. In feith and softenesse of hym [Moses], he made hym hoely.
c. 1440. Promp. Parv., 463/1. Softenesse, or myldenesse, mansuetudo, benignitas.
1526. Tindale, Phil. iv. 5. Lette youre softenes be knowen unto all men.
1563. Bp. Sandys, in Strype, Ann. Ref. (1709), I. xxxv. 356. My Lenity and Softness was such, that I was not willing to touch him.
1639. Saltmarsh, Pract. Policie, 239. As though it were more out of regard than your owne softnesse.
1667. Milton, P. L., IV. 298. For contemplation hee and valour formd, For softness shee and sweet attractive Grace.
1726. Pope, Odyss., XXIII. 105. To softness lost, to spousal love unknown.
1779. Mirror, No. 22. 87. Sometimes, however, I have thought she breathed a softness of soul that tempted me to believe her generous.
1828. Scott, F. M. Perth, xviii. Are we to be slain in our own streets for the King’s softness of heart?
1837. Carlyle, Fr. Rev., III. I. i. With her softness and musical speech.
1867. Trollope, Chron. Barset, II. lxii. 193. I found with him … a softness of heart for which I had not looked.
b. A display or instance of gentleness or tenderness; a soft word or speech.
1382. Wyclif, Gen. xxxiv. 3. And hir [sc. Dinah] sory he swagide with softnessis.
a. 1637. B. Jonson, Horace, Art Poet. (1640), 13. The free spectators … Were to be staid with softnesses.
1678. Otway, Friendship in F., 10. Whispering his softnesses and making his vowes.
1719. Young, Busiris, I. i. O how unlike the softnesses of love!
1882. Mrs. Oliphant, Lit. Hist. Eng. 1790–1825, I. 4. The rude and homely life, in which few softnesses existed.
3. Weakness of character or disposition, effeminacy; lack of firmness; timidity, pusillanimity.
1605. Bacon, Adv. Learn., I. ii. § 6. C 3. And if any man be laborious in reading and study, and yet idle in busines & action, it groweth from some weakenes of body, or softnes of spirit.
1651. C. Cartwright, Cert. Relig., II. 27. By shunning death, he confesseth his weaknesse (or softnesse) of spirit.
1705. Stanhope, Paraphr., II. 247. One great Design is to break the softness of a Nature, too indulgent to Flesh and Blood.
1748. Anson’s Voy., II. xiv. 288. The timidity and softness of our enemy.
1821. Byron, Mar. Fal., II. ii. In Bertram There is a hesitating softness, fatal To enterprise like ours.
1879. G. Macdonald, Sir Gibbie, xxii. A certain gentle indifference she showed to things considered important, the neighbours attributed to weakness of character, and called softness.
II. 4. The state, quality, or property of being soft to the touch, of yielding to pressure, of lacking hardness, firmness, etc.
c. 1175. Lamb. Hom., 83. Oli haueð huppen him lihtnesse and softnesse and hele.
1398. Trevisa, Barth. De P. R., V. xxvii. (Bodl. MS.). By smeþenes and softenes and nasschenes of grustel.
c. 1440. Promp. Parv., 463/1. Softenesse, or smothenesse, lenitas. Ibid. Softenesse, yn towchynge, mollicies, mollicia.
1545. Raynald, Byrth Mankynde, 24 b. In saftnesse of skyn, and plumpnesse of the body fatter and rounder.
1577. B. Googe, Heresbach’s Husb., II. (1586), 67 b. The ripenesse whereof is deemed by … the softnesse of the berrie.
1602. Marston, Antonio’s Rev., II. ii. C 4 b. Those now lawne pillowes, on whose tender softnesse [etc.].
1673–4. Grew, Anat. Pl., Anat. Trunks (1682), 138. Its Softness, depending on the numerousness … of the Aer-Vessels.
1750. trans. Leonardus’ Mirr. Stones, 39. Hardness or Softness in Stones proceeds from two Causes.
1774. Goldsm., Nat. Hist. (1776), III. 355. All that warmth and softness which are so much valued in the furs of the northern animals.
1851. Carpenter, Man. Phys. (ed. 2), 5. In Organized structures, softness (resulting from the large proportion of fluid components) may be considered the distinctive quality.
1863. Bates, Nat. Amazons, II. 56. One would mistake it … for a kitten, from … the softness of its fur.
transf. 1877. Fortn. Rev., Dec., 846. An adaptation to the hardness of their hearts, or … the softness of their brains.
† b. Smoothness, calmness. Obs.–1
c. 1205. Lay., 25549. For þere softnesse [of the sea] Ardur gon to slæpen.
c. Softness of the pulse, the state when the blood-tension is low, so that the artery feels soft and easily compressible.
a. 1793. Hunter, On Blood, II. iii. (1794), 318. Softness is not to be depended on as a mark of health.
1813. J. Thomson, Lect. Inflam., 73. A softness and fullness of the pulse.
1822–7. Good, Study Med. (1829), II. 45. Hardness and softness of the pulse, together with … wiriness, are not quite so easily learnt as its fulness and smallness.
d. The property or quality (in water, etc.) of being soft.
1815. J. Smith, Panorama Sci. & Art, II. 487. All these waters, however, possess the property called softness, that is, they will dissolve soap.
1826. Art of Brewing (ed. 2), 34. Beers … attenuated so low as to insure transparency and softness.
5. Freedom from harshness; mellowness.
1736. Gentl. Mag., VI. 351/1. To hear the softness of Italian song.
1772–84. Cook’s Voy., III. xiii. II. 266. One sung a very agreeable air, with a degree of softness and melody which we could not have expected.
1840. C. O. Müller’s Hist. Lit. Greece, iv. § 5. That softness and flexibility [of Homer’s language].
1885. Miss Braddon, Wyllard’s Weird, i. I. 22. She pronounced the last word with peculiar softness.
6. Mildness, balminess.
1828. Duppa, Trav. Italy, etc. 181. The air, though cold, had somewhat of softness in its temperature.
1837. Disraeli, Venetia, V. x. The softness and the splendour of the morn.
1851. Dixon, W. Penn, xxi. (1872), 182. The climate had the softness of the south of France.
7. Absence of hard or sharp outlines.
1855. Orr’s Circ. Sci., Inorg. Nat., 186. The characteristic of this scenery will be softness of outline.
1892. Photogr. Ann., II. 711. In collotype work the especial aim in producing the negative is to get softness with plenty of detail rather than hardness.
