softly softly
See also: softly, softly and softly-softly
English edit
Alternative forms edit
Etymology edit
Reduplication of softly. Likely an allusion to softly, softly, catchee monkey or a similar phrase.[1]
Pronunciation edit
Audio (AU) (file)
Adjective edit
softly softly (not comparable)
- (UK, often hyphenated) Discreet, low-key, careful.
- 2003, Annette Jünemann, Euro-Mediterranean relations after September 11, →ISBN:
- Second, this lack of divergence is also the outcome of the EU's softly-softly approach to human rights and democracy in Morocco.
Synonyms edit
Translations edit
discreet, careful
Adverb edit
softly softly (not comparable)
- (UK) In a very tactful, careful, or nondisruptive manner.
- 2006 April 28, “Royal heads Betfred field”, in RTE Sport, Ireland, retrieved 22 June 2009:
- We couldn't get him back into training before Christmas time because he picked up an injury at the Cheltenham Festival last year and we had to go softly softly.
Synonyms edit
Translations edit
in a very tactful, careful manner
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References edit
- ^ “softly, adv.”, in OED Online , Oxford, Oxfordshire: Oxford University Press, December 2016.
- “softly softly”, in OneLook Dictionary Search.