[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. |