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Words, grammatical forms and meanings linked to the ontology.

soft sawder en · NOUN

Etymology

Phonetic spelling of soft solder; that is, solder that melts at a lower temperature. Coined by Thomas Haliburton in the short story "The Trotting Horse" (1836). Popular in the 19th century, but out of common use by 1950.

Meanings

  1. (idiomatic, obsolete, uncountable) Cajoling or flattery.
    • A sorrowful spectacle to men of reflection, during the time he lasted, that poor M. de Lamartine; with nothing in him but melodious wind and soft sawder, which he and others took for something divine and not diabolic! 1850, Thomas Carlyle, “The present time”, in Latter-Day Pamphlets:
    • How the old boy swallowed my soft sawder and Brummagem notes! 1863, Tom Taylor, The Ticket-of-Leave Man:
    • 1836, Thomas Haliburton, "The Trotting Horse" (1836) — first usage If she goes to act ugly, I'll give her a dose of "soft sawder"; that will take the frown out of her frontispiece...!

Relateds

soft soap · butter up · sweet-talk