old softshoe

== English == === Alternative forms === softshoe, soft-shoe === Pronunciation === === Noun === soft shoe (uncountable) (performing arts) A kind of tap dancing performed in soft-soled shoes, popular in vaudeville. 1966 Jan. 15, "Sunday (TV listings)," Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, p. 19 (retrieved 5 Oct 2008): Between Mr. O'Connor and Mr. Newley there's a delightful exhibition of the dances and their origin dating gack a few hundred years, from the clog to the buck, the wing, and the buck and wing, and on to the old soft shoe and more. (idiomatic) 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. ==== Usage notes ==== Often used in the expression the old soft shoe. === Adjective === soft shoe (not comparable) (usually hyphenated) Of or pertaining to this kind of dancing. (idiomatic) Casual, low-key, easy-going. === Verb === soft shoe (third-person singular simple present soft shoes, present participle soft shoeing, simple past and past participle soft shoed) To perform a dance of this kind.