| 1. | Also called una corda pedal. a pedal, as on a piano, for reducing tonal volume. |
| 2. | Informal. something that restrains or dampens: to put a soft pedal on one's enthusiasm. |
[sawft-ped-l, soft-] 
verb, -aled, -al⋅ing or (especially British) -alled, -al⋅ling.| 1. | to use the soft pedal. |
| 2. | to soften the sound of by using the soft pedal. |
| 3. | Informal. to tone or play down; make less strong, as an idea or fact: The dean soft-pedaled the reports of cheating. |
| soft-ped·al (sôft'pěd'l, sŏft'-) tr.v. soft-ped·aled or soft-ped·alled, soft-ped·al·ing or soft-ped·al·ling, soft-ped·als
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