treat with kid gloves
to handle someone very carefully
TRANSLATION
treat with kid gloves = jemanden mit Samthandschuhen anfassen (LEO) --- GOOGLE INDEX treat with kid gloves: approximately 47,000 hits
STATISTICS
IN THE PRESS
In light of such criticism, we do not understand why the tobacco companies have been TREATED WITH KID GLOVES by the UK authorities - in marked contrast to the approach adopted by customs officials in Germany when they went after Reemtsma, now a subsidiary of Imperial Tobacco.
(adapted from A.S.H - Action on Smoking and Health)
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Since 9/11, Pakistan--quite the most irresponsible nuclear power in the nuclear age--has been TREATED WITH KID GLOVES by the Bush administration because its dictator is cooperating with the United States in the war on terror.
(adapted from The National Interest Online)
(adapted from A.S.H - Action on Smoking and Health)
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Since 9/11, Pakistan--quite the most irresponsible nuclear power in the nuclear age--has been TREATED WITH KID GLOVES by the Bush administration because its dictator is cooperating with the United States in the war on terror.
(adapted from The National Interest Online)
Did you
know?
treat (handle) with kid gloves
idiomatic phrase
- to be very polite or kind to someone because you do not want to make them angry or upset
(Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary)
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WORD ORIGIN
This expression is based on the literal meaning of kid gloves, which are made of extremely soft leather from the skin of a young goat. A young goat is called a kid, thus the leather is referred to as kidskin (das Ziegenleder). Metaphorically speaking then, handling someone with kid gloves implies soft or gentle treatment. And since kid is another word for a young child, treatment with kid gloves also suggests treating someone as you would a child; in other words with care.
The Oxford Dictionary says the expression “treat with kid gloves” was first used in the 1830s. Out of this grew another phrase, “to wear kid gloves”, which referred to someone who was considered dainty (Weichling) or a member of the upper class who was not required to perform any real work.
Furthermore, one can “handle without gloves” or “take off the gloves”, which means taking a stronger approach when dealing with someone. These expressions likely originated from boxing, where taking off the gloves suggests that the rules of fair play no longer apply, leading to a hard and brutal fight.
(sources: The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, The Straight Dope, The Oxford Dictionary)
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SYNONYMS
baby, cater to, coddle, cosset, pamper, mollycoddle
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IMPRESS YOUR FRIENDS TODAY
say something like:
“He's late for work almost every day, but he's treated with kid gloves, nobody says anything to him.”
idiomatic phrase
- to be very polite or kind to someone because you do not want to make them angry or upset
(Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary)
---
WORD ORIGIN
This expression is based on the literal meaning of kid gloves, which are made of extremely soft leather from the skin of a young goat. A young goat is called a kid, thus the leather is referred to as kidskin (das Ziegenleder). Metaphorically speaking then, handling someone with kid gloves implies soft or gentle treatment. And since kid is another word for a young child, treatment with kid gloves also suggests treating someone as you would a child; in other words with care.
The Oxford Dictionary says the expression “treat with kid gloves” was first used in the 1830s. Out of this grew another phrase, “to wear kid gloves”, which referred to someone who was considered dainty (Weichling) or a member of the upper class who was not required to perform any real work.
Furthermore, one can “handle without gloves” or “take off the gloves”, which means taking a stronger approach when dealing with someone. These expressions likely originated from boxing, where taking off the gloves suggests that the rules of fair play no longer apply, leading to a hard and brutal fight.
(sources: The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, The Straight Dope, The Oxford Dictionary)
---
SYNONYMS
baby, cater to, coddle, cosset, pamper, mollycoddle
---
IMPRESS YOUR FRIENDS TODAY
say something like:
“He's late for work almost every day, but he's treated with kid gloves, nobody says anything to him.”
