kid-glove

/'kidglʌv/

Thân thiện

The diplomat handled the delicate negotiations with kid-glove care.

Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Showing skill and sensitivity in dealing with people: Characterized by extreme care, delicacy, or tact, especially to avoid causing offense or distress. It implies handling a person or situation with the utmost gentleness and consideration, as if wearing delicate gloves.

Usage

The adjective "kid-glove" is used attributively, almost always before a noun, to describe an approach, manner, or treatment. It is a hyphenated compound. It is often used in the fixed phrase "kid-glove treatment."

Examples

• Adjective:
  • The celebrity received kid-glove treatment from the hotel staff.
  • The manager handled the sensitive layoffs with a kid-glove approach.
  • The delicate negotiations required a kid-glove manner.

Advanced Usage

• "kid-glove treatment": This is the most common collocation. It refers to handling someone or something with exceptional care, caution, and indulgence, often implying preferential or overly gentle treatment.
  • The fragile antique vase was given the kid-glove treatment during the move.
  • The star player seems to get kid-glove treatment from the coach.

Variants and Related Words

• Kid gloves (noun phrase): Literally, gloves made from the soft leather of a young goat (kid). Figuratively, it means a very careful or tactful way of dealing with someone.
  • You'll have to handle that client with kid gloves.
• Tactful (adj): Having or showing skill and sensitivity in dealing with others or with difficult issues.
• Delicate (adj): Requiring careful or sensitive handling.
• Diplomatic (adj): Using skill and tact in dealing with others.

Synonyms

• Tactful
• Delicate
• Gentle
• Diplomatic
• Considerate
• Circumspect

Antonyms

• Heavy-handed
• Clumsy
• Tactless
• Blunt
• Insensitive

Idioms and Phrases

• To handle/treat someone with kid gloves: To deal with someone very carefully and gently so as not to upset them.
  • After the scandal, the press handled the politician with kid gloves.

Học thuật

Adjective

1. showing skill and sensitivity in dealing with people
   • by diplomatic conduct he avoided antagonizing anyone
   • a tactful way of correcting someone
   • the agency got the kid-glove treatment on Capitol Hill

Từ đồng nghĩa

• tactful