English Dictionary

SOFT SPOT

Pronunciation (US): Play  (GB): Play

IPA (US): 

 Dictionary entry overview: What does soft spot mean? 

SOFT SPOT (noun)
  The noun SOFT SPOT has 3 senses:

1. a place of especial vulnerabilityplay

2. a sentimental affectionplay

3. any membranous gap between the bones of the cranium in an infant or fetusplay

  Familiarity information: SOFT SPOT used as a noun is uncommon.


 Dictionary entry details 


SOFT SPOT (noun)


Sense 1

Meaning:

A place of especial vulnerability

Classified under:

Nouns denoting attributes of people and objects

Synonyms:

soft spot; weak part; weak spot

Hypernyms ("soft spot" is a kind of...):

weakness (the property of lacking physical or mental strength; liability to failure under pressure or stress or strain)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "soft spot"):

Achilles' heel (a seemingly small but actual mortal weakness)

jugular (a vital part that is vulnerable to attack)

underbelly (the quality of being weak or unprotected)


Sense 2

Meaning:

A sentimental affection

Classified under:

Nouns denoting feelings and emotions

Context example:

she had a soft spot for her youngest son

Hypernyms ("soft spot" is a kind of...):

affection; affectionateness; fondness; heart; philia; tenderness; warmheartedness; warmness (a positive feeling of liking)


Sense 3

Meaning:

Any membranous gap between the bones of the cranium in an infant or fetus

Classified under:

Nouns denoting body parts

Synonyms:

fontanel; fontanelle; soft spot

Hypernyms ("soft spot" is a kind of...):

opening; orifice; porta (an aperture or hole that opens into a bodily cavity)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "soft spot"):

anterior fontanelle (corresponds to the bregma when bones have ossified)

sphenoid fontanel; sphenoid fontanelle; sphenoidal fontanel; sphenoidal fontanelle (the irregularly shaped area on either side of the cranium where the frontal bone and the anterior tip of the parietal bone and the temporal bone and the greater wing of the sphenoid bone meet; corresponds to the pterion when bones have ossified)

Holonyms ("soft spot" is a part of...):

child's body (the body of a human child)

braincase; brainpan; cranium (the part of the skull that encloses the brain)


 Learn English with... Proverbs 
"Long absent, soon forgotten." (English proverb)

"If you do not sow, you can't reap." (Albanian proverb)

"They kill the peacock for the beauty of its feathers." (Arabic proverb)

"No man has fallen from the sky learned." (Czech proverb)



ALSO IN ENGLISH DICTIONARY:


© 2000-2023 AudioEnglish.org | AudioEnglish® is a Registered Trademark | Terms of use and privacy policy
Contact