soft sawder
Cajoling or flattery.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
“He used a lot of soft sawder to get what he wanted.”
“You cannot win me over with soft sawder and empty promises.”
“The manager uses soft sawder to make the staff work extra hours.”
“She knew he was using soft sawder to win her favor, but she enjoyed the compliments anyway.”
“The salesperson tried to use soft sawder to convince me that the expensive car was a perfect match for my lifestyle.”
“After arriving home late, he hoped a bit of soft sawder would keep his parents from being angry with him.”
“The politician relied heavily on soft sawder, hoping his charming words would distract the voters from his lack of policy.”
first recorded 19th c.
The term originated as a phonetic spelling of soft solder, a substance that melts at a particularly low temperature. It was coined by Thomas Haliburton in his 1836 short story "The Trotting Horse" and enjoyed significant popularity throughout the nineteenth century. While the utility of the metaphor remained for some time, it had largely fallen out of common use by 1950.
- 01
soft kill
A murder that does not leave behind any physical evidence, because the perpetrator carried out the crime by using their bare hands, as opposed to a weapon.
- 02
soft shoe
A speech, explanation, sales pitch, or other set of remarks delivered in a restrained or conciliatory manner in order to persuade, distract, or otherwise influence someone.
- 03
soft spot
A sentimental fondness or affection.
- 04
soft touch
A person or group that is sympathetic, accommodating, easily overcome, or easily persuaded, especially one that loans or readily gives money to another.
- 05
soft underbelly
A weak spot; a soft spot.
Last updated August 10, 2026