---
title: soften — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «soften» in the school dictionary: To soften means to become softer or to make something softer («soften the butter»). Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# soften

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** face, you, sun, Dad, Heat, ice cream · **What happens:** soften, mean, become, make, leave out, bake · **To what, where:** something, butter, blow, chocolate, pocket, kitten · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
«soften» in the school dictionary: its 2 meanings for a pupil and its 9 examples, every sentence parsed by Mova itself — its syntax tree, a dependency tree in the style of Universal Dependencies, and its pragmatics clause by clause. The word in the dictionary, with its sense in the lessons: [soften in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/soften.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To soften means to become softer or to make something softer («soften the butter»).

<!-- fold The tree, 14 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:soften:m1:1
# text = To soften means to become softer or to make something softer («soften the butter»).
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	soften	soften	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	csubj	_	_
3	means	mean	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	to	to	PART	TO	_	5	mark	_	_
5	become	become	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	xcomp	_	_
6	softer	soft	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	5	xcomp	_	_
7	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	9	cc	_	_
8	to	to	PART	TO	_	9	mark	_	_
9	make	make	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	5	conj	_	_
10	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	9	obj	_	_
11	softer	soft	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	9	xcomp	_	_
12	(	(	PUNCT	-LRB-	_	14	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	14	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	soften	soften	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	9	conj	_	_
15	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	16	det	_	_
16	butter	butter	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	14	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	14	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	)	)	PUNCT	-RRB-	_	14	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
19	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **soften** | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn other\_cos-45.4 «NP.patient V»: agent=Patient |
| 2 | **mean** | present |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V S\_INF»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 3 | **become** *not said to happen* | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  | soft *property* | vn become-109.1-1-1 «NP V PP.attribute»: agent=Patient |
| 4 | **make** | to-infinitive |  | something |  |  |  | soft *property* | vn build-26.1-1 «NP.asset V NP»: agent=Asset something=Product |
| 5 | **soften** *in a quote* | infinitive |  | the butter |  |  |  |  | vn other\_cos-45.4 «NP V NP.patient»: agent=Agent butter=Patient |

<!-- .note -->
One row per clause the reader finds. «not said here»: a role filled from the clause above. «roles by»: a VerbNet class and frame when one fits the verb, else the reader's rules on the tree.

## Meaning 2 {#m2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To soften means to become or make something gentler, kinder or less strong («soften the blow», «her face softened»).

<!-- fold The tree, 19 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:soften:m2:1
# text = To soften means to become or make something gentler, kinder or less strong («soften the blow», «her face softened»).
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	soften	soften	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	csubj	_	_
3	means	mean	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	to	to	PART	TO	_	5	mark	_	_
5	become	become	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	xcomp	_	_
6	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	7	cc	_	_
7	make	make	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	5	conj	_	_
8	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	7	obj	_	_
9	gentler	gentle	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	7	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	11	punct	_	_
11	kinder	kind	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	9	conj	_	_
12	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	14	cc	_	_
13	less	less	ADV	RBR	Degree=Cmp	14	advmod	_	_
14	strong	strong	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	11	conj	_	_
15	(	(	PUNCT	-LRB-	_	17	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	17	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	soften	soften	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	7	conj	_	_
18	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	19	det	_	_
19	blow	blow	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	17	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
20	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	17	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
21	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	25	punct	_	_
22	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	25	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
23	her	her	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	24	nmod:poss	_	_
24	face	face	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	25	nsubj	_	_
25	softened	soften	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	17	parataxis	_	SpaceAfter=No
26	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	25	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
27	)	)	PUNCT	-RRB-	_	17	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
28	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **soften** | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn other\_cos-45.4 «NP.patient V»: agent=Patient |
| 2 | **mean** | present |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V S\_INF»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 3 | **become** *not said to happen* | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn become-109.1-1-1 «NP V PP.attribute»: agent=Patient |
| 4 | **make** | infinitive |  | something |  |  |  | gentle *property* | vn build-26.1-1 «NP.asset V NP»: agent=Asset something=Product |
| 5 | **soften** *in a quote* | infinitive |  | the blow |  |  |  |  | vn other\_cos-45.4 «NP V NP.patient»: agent=Agent blow=Patient |
| 6 | **soften** *in a quote* | past | her face |  |  |  |  |  | vn other\_cos-45.4 «NP.patient V»: agent=Patient |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Leave the butter out to soften before baking.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:soften:x1:1
# text = Leave the butter out to soften before baking.
1	Leave	leave	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	butter	butter	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obj	_	_
4	out	out	ADP	RP	_	1	compound:prt	_	_
5	to	to	PART	TO	_	6	mark	_	_
6	soften	soften	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	1	advcl	_	_
7	before	before	SCONJ	IN	_	8	mark	_	_
8	baking	bake	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	6	advcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **leave out** | imperative | you *not said here* | the butter |  |  |  |  | vn neglect-75.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent butter=Theme |
| 2 | **soften** | to-infinitive | you *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn other\_cos-45.4 «NP.patient V»: agent=Patient |
| 3 | **bake** | gerund | you *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn cooking-45.3 «NP.patient V»: agent=Patient |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The sun softened the chocolate in my pocket.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:soften:x2:1
# text = The sun softened the chocolate in my pocket.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	sun	sun	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	softened	soften	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	chocolate	chocolate	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
6	in	in	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	my	my	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Sing|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	8	nmod:poss	_	_
8	pocket	pocket	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **soften** | past | the sun | the chocolate |  | my pocket |  |  | vn other\_cos-45.4 «NP V NP.patient»: agent=Agent chocolate=Patient |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Her face softened when she saw the kitten.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:soften:x3:1
# text = Her face softened when she saw the kitten.
1	Her	her	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	2	nmod:poss	_	_
2	face	face	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	softened	soften	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	when	when	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	6	advmod	_	_
5	she	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	6	nsubj	_	_
6	saw	see	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	3	ccomp	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	kitten	kitten	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **soften** | past | Her face |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **see** | past | face | the kitten |  |  |  |  | vn comprehend-87.2-1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Experiencer kitten=Stimulus |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Soak the beans to soften them.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:soften:x4:1
# text = Soak the beans to soften them.
1	Soak	soak	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	beans	bean	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	1	obj	_	_
4	to	to	PART	TO	_	5	mark	_	_
5	soften	soften	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	1	advcl	_	_
6	them	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	5	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **soak** | imperative | you *not said here* | the beans |  |  |  |  | vn wipe\_manner-10.4.1 «NP V NP.theme»: agent=Agent bean=Theme |
| 2 | **soften** | to-infinitive | you *not said here* | beans *= bean* |  |  |  |  | vn other\_cos-45.4 «NP V NP.patient»: agent=Agent they=Patient |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Try to soften your voice when you speak to the baby.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:soften:x5:1
# text = Try to soften your voice when you speak to the baby.
1	Try	try	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	to	to	PART	TO	_	3	mark	_	_
3	soften	soften	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	1	xcomp	_	_
4	your	your	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Person=2|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	5	nmod:poss	_	_
5	voice	voice	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
6	when	when	SCONJ	WRB	_	8	mark	_	_
7	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	8	nsubj	_	_
8	speak	speak	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=2|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	advcl	_	_
9	to	to	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
10	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
11	baby	baby	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **try** | imperative | you *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn try-61.1 «NP V S\_INF»: agent=Agent clause=Eventuality |
| 2 | **soften** *not said to happen* | to-infinitive | you *not said here* | your voice |  |  |  |  | vn other\_cos-45.4 «NP V NP.patient»: agent=Agent voice=Patient |
| 3 | **speak** *speech: other* | present | you |  |  |  |  | to the baby | vn talk-37.5 «NP V PP.co-agent»: agent=Agent to baby=Co-Agent |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Dad softened the bad news with a hug.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:soften:x6:1
# text = Dad softened the bad news with a hug.
1	Dad	dad	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nsubj	_	_
2	softened	soften	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
4	bad	bad	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
5	news	news	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
6	with	with	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	hug	hug	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **soften** | past | Dad | the bad news |  |  |  | with a hug | vn other\_cos-45.4 «NP V NP PP.instrument»: agent=Agent news=Patient with hug=Instrument |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Heat softens the wax so you can shape it.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:soften:x7:1
# text = Heat softens the wax so you can shape it.
1	Heat	heat	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nsubj	_	_
2	softens	soften	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	wax	wax	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
5	so	so	SCONJ	IN	_	8	mark	_	_
6	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	8	nsubj	_	_
7	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	8	aux	_	_
8	shape	shape	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	2	advcl	_	_
9	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	8	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **soften** | present | Heat | the wax |  |  |  |  | vn other\_cos-45.4 «NP V NP.patient»: agent=Agent wax=Patient |
| 2 | **shape** | can | you | wax |  |  |  |  | vn build-26.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent it=Product |

## Example 8 {#x8}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The ice cream softened quickly on the warm plate.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:soften:x8:1
# text = The ice cream softened quickly on the warm plate.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	ice	ice	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	compound	_	_
3	cream	cream	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
4	softened	soften	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	quickly	quickly	ADV	RB	_	4	advmod	_	_
6	on	on	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
8	warm	warm	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	amod	_	_
9	plate	plate	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **soften** | past | the ice cream |  |  | the warm plate |  | quickly *property* | vn other\_cos-45.4 «NP.patient V»: agent=Patient |

## Example 9 {#x9}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The eyes of women brightened and softened when they looked at me.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:soften:x9:1
# text = The eyes of women brightened and softened when they looked at me.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	eyes	eye	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	10	nsubj	_	_
3	of	of	ADP	IN	_	4	case	_	_
4	women	woman	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	nmod	_	_
5	brightened	brighten	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	10	advcl	_	_
6	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	7	cc	_	_
7	softened	soften	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	5	conj	_	_
8	when	when	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	10	advmod	_	_
9	they	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	10	nsubj	_	_
10	looked	look	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
11	at	at	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
12	me	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	10	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	10	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **brighten** | participle | the eyes of women *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn other\_cos-45.4 «NP.patient V»: agent=Patient |
| 2 | **soften** | participle | the eyes of women *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn other\_cos-45.4 «NP.patient V»: agent=Patient |
| 3 | **look** | past | the eyes of women |  |  |  |  | at me | vn peer-30.3 «NP V PP.theme»: agent=Agent at i=Theme |

<!-- div src -->

**Text:** the school dictionary of Mova's schools (`world/data/dictionary-schools/`), written for Mova. **Trees:** Mova's own parse — the `en` model on the CPU, when the site is built — not checked by a teacher; they may be wrong. **Frames:** Mova's frames reader (`prag`), each meaning and example read on its own. Elamur Cosmic License.

<!-- /div -->

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