Soft lump: could be cuddly (5)

I believe the answer is:

plump

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'cuddly' is the definition.
Both the answer and definition are adjectives. Perhaps there's a link between them I don't understand?

'soft lump' is the wordplay.
'soft' becomes 'p' (musical abbreviation for 'piano', soft).
'p'+'lump'='PLUMP'

'could be' is the link.

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for plump that I've seen before include "Slightly fat" , "Buxom, chubby" , "Not obese, just pleasantly rounded" , "Choose; chubby" , "Rotund" .)

I've seen this clue in the Evening Standard.

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