soft-pedal

短语

vt. 降低...的调子, 对...不予张扬, 使...变得不显眼

发音

UK /ˌsɒf(t)ˈpɛdl̩/
其它
US /ˈsɔf(t)ˌpɛdəl/
US /ˈsɑf(t)-/

词形变化

soft-pedaled soft-pedaling soft-pedalled soft-pedalling soft-pedals 三单 soft-pedals soft-pedaling 现在分词 soft-pedalling 现在分词 soft-pedaled 过去式 soft-pedaled 过去分词 soft-pedalled 过去式 soft-pedalled 过去分词

别名

soft peddle soft-peddle

释义与例句

v.
  1. 1.

    To reduce the volume of (music, a sound, etc.).

    及物
  2. 2.

    To reduce the force or impact of (something); to damp, to mute; especially, to minimize the less desirable aspects of (something); to play down, to tone down.

    比喻 及物
  3. 3.

    To attempt to persuade someone about (something) through understatement, so that the listener accepts the good points as obvious.

    比喻 及物
  4. 4.

    Chiefly followed by on: to act in a less assertive or forceful manner.

    比喻 不及物

词汇关系

动词

上位词 3

background downplay play down

词源

From soft pedal (“leftmost foot-pedal on most pianos which, when pushed, dampens the strings and so softens the note played”, noun).

来源：wiktionary