soft-soap

Thân thiện

The salesman tried to soft-soap the customer with compliments.

Definition

Verb: 1. To use flattering talk on somebody: To attempt to persuade, influence, or win favor from someone by using excessive, insincere praise or compliments. 2. To persuade someone through flattery: To coax or convince someone to do something by appealing to their vanity with smooth, ingratiating words.

Usage and Examples

• The basic meaning is to use insincere praise to manipulate someone's opinion or actions.
  • He tried to soft-soap the manager into giving him the promotion.
  • Don't think you can soft-soap me with compliments; I know what you really want.
  • The salesperson soft-soaped the customer into buying the more expensive model.

Advanced Usage and Nuances

• The term often implies that the flattery is transparently manipulative and not genuine. The target of the soft-soaping may or may not be aware of the insincerity.
• It is frequently used in informal or slightly disapproving contexts to describe a tactic of persuasion.
  • She saw through his attempt to soft-soap her and refused his request.

Variants and Related Words

• Soft-soap can also function as a non-hyphenated noun (soft soap), historically referring to a type of semi-liquid soap. The verb form derives metaphorically from the "smooth" and "slippery" nature of such soap.
• Soft-soaping (noun/gerund): The act of using flattery to persuade.
  • His constant soft-soaping of the boss was obvious to everyone in the office.

Synonyms

• Flatter: To praise excessively, especially from motives of self-interest. (Less directly implies an attempt to persuade.)
• Butter up: (Informal) To flatter someone excessively, especially to gain a favor.
• Cajole: To persuade someone to do something by sustained coaxing or flattery.
• Wheedle: To use endearments or flattery to persuade someone to do something or give one something.

Related Idioms and Phrases

• Lay it on thick: (Idiom) To exaggerate one's praise or flattery, similar to the action of soft-soaping.
  • He was really laying it on thick when he told her she was the best singer he'd ever heard.

Học thuật

Verb

1. use flattering talk on somebody
2. persuade someone through flattery