softly

English

Etymology

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

Pronunciation

• (General American) IPA^(key): /ˈsɔftli/
• (cot–caught merger, Canada) 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)