softly

English

Etymology

From Middle English softely, softeliche, equivalent to soft +‎ -ly.

Pronunciation

• (General American) IPA^(key): /ˈsɔftli/
• (cot–caught merger) IPA^(key): /ˈsɑftli/
• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈsɒftli/

• Audio (US):

  (file)

Adverb

softly (comparative softlier or more softly, superlative softliest or most softly)

1. In a soft manner; gently.

   The masseuse was rubbing my back too softly for my liking, so I asked her to go harder.

   • 1861, Anthony Trollope, Framley Parsonage:

     He had married a lady well educated and softly nurtured, but not dowered with worldly wealth. […] They would give up ideas of gentle living, of soft raiment, and delicate feeding.

2. Not loudly; nearly inaudibly.

   whisper softly in someone's ear

   play music softly

Derived terms

• softly softly
• speak softly and carry a big stick
• talk softly and carry a big stick
• tread softly
• tread-softly
• walk softly and carry a big stick

 

Translations

softly, gently

Belarusian: мя́кка (mjákka) Burmese: တိုးတိုး (tui:tui:) Catalan: suaument (ca) Dutch: zachtjes (nl), zachtaardig (nl), zachtzinnig (nl) French: doucement (fr) Galician: suavemente (gl) German: sachte (de) Hungarian: lágyan (hu) Italian: delicatamente (it) Korean: 부드럽게 (budeureopge) Latin: molliter, leniter Norman: mollement Polish: delikatnie (pl) Portuguese: suavemente (pt) Russian: мя́гко (ru) (mjáxko) Spanish: suavemente (es) Telugu: మెత్తగా (te) (mettagā) Ukrainian: м'я́ко (mʺjáko) West Frisian: súntsjes

not loudly, inaudible

Belarusian: ці́ха (cíxa) Danish: blidt Dutch: zacht (nl) German: leise (de) Hungarian: halkan (hu) Italian: sottovoce (it) Polish: cicho (pl) Portuguese: suavemente (pt) Russian: ти́хо (ru) (tíxo) Spanish: inaudiblemente, silenciosamente Ukrainian: ти́хо (týxo)