soften up

英 [ˈsɒfn ʌp]

美 [ˈsɔːfn ʌp]

（求助于人之前）讨好，安抚

柯林斯词典

• PHRASAL VERB (求助于人之前)讨好，安抚
  If yousoftensomeoneup, you put them into a good mood before asking them to do something.
  1. If they'd treated you well it was just to soften you up.
     他们要是对你好，也不过是为了讨好你罢了。

双语例句

• The answer-I need to soften myself up ( for half an hour or so) before going to bed.
  答案是，在上床睡觉之前，我会花点时间，大约半小时，来放松自己。
• Told her it would soften him up.
  我说那会让他心软。
• Belgrade did suffer through several days of artillery attacks and three days of aerial bombardment, which served to soften up the Yugoslav capital.
  贝尔格莱德遭受了连续几天的地面炮火和三天的空中轰炸，严重削弱了城防。
• Okay, I was trying to soften you up.
  好了，我那是在软化你。
• Soften me up for the big guns, eh?
  先软化我，再用厉害的武器，是吗？
• Relax, soften up internally and physically, and let it go.
  歇会儿，让心灵和身体放松，然后放手。
• Knoll often takes a pea-sized amount of pomade or wax, rubs it between his hands to soften it up, and wraps pieces of hair around his fingers.
  出席晚间活动之前，他通常会取豌豆大小的润发油或发蜡涂在手心上，摩擦双手将其均匀抹开，然后用手指抓头发。
• She tried to soften up her sister by buying her some chocolates.
  她试图用巧克力来安抚她的妹妹。
• The material has begun to soften up.
  材料开始变软了。
• When I think you sat in a wheelchair to soften me up.
  你居然坐轮椅，跟我装可怜。