soft-pedal
|soft-ped-al|
🇺🇸
/ˈsɔftˌpɛdəl/
🇬🇧
/ˈsɒftˌpɛd(ə)l/
reduce intensity / play down
Etymology
'soft-pedal' originates from English, specifically the words 'soft' + 'pedal', where 'soft' (Old English 'softe') meant 'not hard/gentle' and 'pedal' comes via Latin 'pedalis' (from 'pes, ped-' meaning 'foot') referring to a foot-operated lever.
'soft' comes from Old English 'softe' and kept its basic meaning; 'pedal' entered English from Latin via Old French and Late Latin (Latin 'pedalis' 'of the foot'). The compound 'soft pedal' developed in the 19th century with the invention and standardization of piano pedals; the verb sense 'to soft-pedal' (to play down) arose later by metaphorical extension from the musical action.
Initially, the term referred specifically to the piano mechanism for producing a softer tone; over time it evolved into a figurative verb/noun meaning 'to downplay or moderate' in non-musical contexts.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
the pedal on a piano (or similar instrument) that reduces volume or softens the tone; the una corda or soft pedal.
She used the soft-pedal to make the passage more tender.
Synonyms
Noun 2
a deliberate act of downplaying, moderating, or treating something less forcefully or less prominently.
The press release was a soft-pedal on the company's recent failures.
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Antonyms
Verb 1
to play down, de-emphasize, or handle something with restraint (literally, to use the soft pedal on a piano; figuratively, to treat something less strongly).
The politician soft-pedaled his role in the affair during the interview.
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Last updated: 2025/09/03 11:11