flakes n.pl. Thin flakes of soap for washing clothes etc.

- opera n. Broadcast drama serial with domestic themes (orig. Sponsored in the us by soap manufacturers).

- powder n. Powdered soap, esp. With additives, for washing clothes etc.

- —n. - cleansing agent yielding lather when rubbed in water.

- colloq. = *soap opera. —v. Apply soap to. [old english]

v. - fly or rise high.

- reach a high level or standard.

- fly without flapping the wings or using power. [french essorer]

n. - knitted covering for the foot and lower leg.

- insole. pull one's socks up colloq. Make an effort to improve. Put a sock in it slang be quiet. [old english socc from greek sukkhos slipper]

- colloq. —v. Hit hard. —n. Hard blow. sock it to attack or address (a person or people) vigorously. [origin unknown]

bread n. Bread leavened with baking-soda.

- fountain n. - device supplying soda water.

- shop or counter with this.

- n. - compound of sodium in common use.

- (in full soda water) effervescent water used esp. With spirits etc. As a drink. [perhaps from latin sodanum from arabic]

law n. = *murphy's law.

bed n. Sofa that can be converted into a bed.

- n. Long upholstered seat with a back and arms. [arabic shuffa]

drink n. Non-alcoholic drink.

- fruit n. Small stoneless fruit (a strawberry or currant).

- furnishings n.pl. Curtains, rugs, etc.

- option n. Easier alternative.

- palate n. Rear part of the palate.

- pedal —n. Piano pedal that softens the tone. —v. (soft-pedal) (-ll-; us -l-) refrain from emphasizing; be restrained.

- roe see *roe1.

- sell n. Restrained salesmanship.

- soap —n. Colloq. Persuasive flattery. —v. (soft-soap) colloq. Persuade with flattery.

- target n. Vulnerable person or thing.

- touch n. Colloq. Gullible person, esp. Over money.

- —adj. - not hard; easily cut or dented; malleable.

- (of cloth etc.) Smooth; fine; not rough.

- (of wind etc.) Mild, gentle.

- (of water) low in mineral salts and lathering easily.

- (of light or colour etc.) Not brilliant or glaring.

- (of sound) gentle, not loud.

- (of a consonant) sibilant (as c in ice, s in pleasure).

- (of an outline etc.) Vague, blurred.

- gentle, conciliatory. 10 compassionate, sympathetic. 11 feeble, half-witted, silly, sentimental. 12 colloq. (of a job etc.) Easy. 13 (of drugs) not highly addictive. 14 (also soft-core) (of pornography) not highly obscene. 15 (of currency) likely to fall in value; not readily exchangeable into other currencies. —adv. Softly. be soft on colloq. - be lenient towards.

- be infatuated with. Have a soft spot for be fond of. softish adj. Softly adv. Softness n. [old english]

pipe n. Discharge-pipe of a lavatory.

- n. - upper layer of earth in which plants grow.

- ground belonging to a nation; territory (on french soil). [latin solium seat, solum ground]

- —v. - make dirty; smear or stain.

- defile; discredit. —n. - dirty mark.

- filth; refuse. [french soill(i)er]

n. Pithy-stemmed e. Indian swamp plant. [urdu]

- topi n. Sun-helmet made from the pith of the sola plant.

past and past part. Of *sell. —adj. (foll. By on) colloq. Enthusiastic about.