softly softly

English

WOTD – 6 May 2012    

Alternative forms

• softly-softly
• softly, softly

Adjective

softly softly (not comparable)

1. (UK, idiomatic, often hyphenated) Discreet, low-key, careful.
   • 2003, Annette Jünemann, Euro-Mediterranean relations after September 11, ISBN 9780714655123:

     Second, this lack of divergence is also the outcome of the EU's softly-softly approach to human rights and democracy in Morocco.

Translations

discreet, careful

• Finnish: pehmo- (fi), hyvin varovainen (fi)

Synonyms

• diplomatic, understated

Adverb

softly softly (not comparable)

1. (UK, idiomatic) In a very tactful, careful, or nondisruptive manner.
   • 2006, "Royal heads Betfred field," RTE Sport (Ireland) 28 Apr. (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

• gingerly

Translations

in a very tactful, careful manner

• Finnish: hyvin varovasti (fi)

References

• "softly softly" at OneLook® Dictionary Search.