soft soap

Slang Dictionary

soft soap definition


  1. n.
    flattering talk; sweet talk. : I don't mind a little soft soap. It won't affect what I do, though.
  2. tv.
    to attempt to convince someone (of something) by gentle persuasion. : Don't try to soft soap her. She's an old battle-ax.
Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions by Richard A. Spears.Fourth Edition.
Copyright 2007. Published by McGraw Hill.
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American Heritage
Idioms & Phrases

soft soap

Flattery, cajolery, as in She's only six but she's learned how to get her way with soft soap. This colloquial expression alludes to liquid soap, likening its slippery quality to insincere flattery. Its figurative use was first recorded in 1830.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
Copyright © 1997. Published by Houghton Mifflin.
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