His genre paintings retain an admirable toughness quite devoid of sentiment, despite their often soft subject matter.

ECONOMIST: Chardin

Initially, it is a soft, foul-smelling matter that floats on the ocean but through exposure to the sun and the salt water over years it turns into a smooth lump of compact rock which feels waxy and has a sweet smell.

BBC: Rare whale vomit found on Morecambe beach

She's sitting on a soft sandbank and it's a matter of waiting until high tide so that she can be refloated.

BBC: North East Wales

That sort of thing scares middle-class voters, no matter how energetically Mr Latham struggled to soft-pedal his own party's policies.

ECONOMIST: Australia

When it comes to granola (and sushi for that matter), I am a minimalist, although I do have a soft spot for anything involving toasted coconut.

FORBES: Snack Attack: By Hand Granola

As a matter of practice, a small minority of teams have ever stayed below the soft cap.

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Or maybe it explains why he was determined to negotiate such soft goals with the Sprint Board so as to ensure he earns his bonuses at Sprint no matter what grim results he delivers for shareholders.

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The scholars will "help us look at some of the questions that have arisen, in regard to soft money, with regard to independent expenditures, with regard to whether or not this is a matter of changing the system, or it's simply a matter of enforcement, " the Tennessee Republican said.

CNN: Fund-Raising Panel Changes Course