soften somebody/something ↔ up phrasal verb (see also soften)

1. informal to be nice to someone before you ask them to do something, so that they will agree to help you:
She was just softening me up.

2. to make an enemy weaker so that they are easier to attack:
Use artillery to soften up the enemy forces.

3. to make something less hard or rough

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲

soften something up
soften (someone/something) up
to weaken someone or something.
Constant bombing was designed to soften the enemy up and weaken him.

The ads were just a way to soften up public opinion to accept a big price increase.

[TahlilGaran] English Idioms Dictionary ▲

soften up
soften (someone/something) up
to weaken someone or something.
Constant bombing was designed to soften the enemy up and weaken him.

The ads were just a way to soften up public opinion to accept a big price increase.

[TahlilGaran] English Idioms Dictionary ▲

soften someone up
soften (someone/something) up
to weaken someone or something.
Constant bombing was designed to soften the enemy up and weaken him.

The ads were just a way to soften up public opinion to accept a big price increase.

[TahlilGaran] English Idioms Dictionary ▲