handle with kid gloves

English

Alternative forms

• treat with kid gloves

Etymology

From kid glove.

Pronunciation

• Audio (AU)

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Verb

handle with kid gloves (third-person singular simple present handles with kid gloves, present participle handling with kid gloves, simple past and past participle handled with kid gloves)

1. (idiomatic) To treat something very delicately or carefully.

   The campaign staff cautioned the candidate to handle the issue with kid gloves.

   • 1884, C. H. Spurgeon, “Psalm One Hundred and Nineteen—Verses 113 to 120, Exposition”, in The Treasury of David:  […], volume VI, London: Passmore and Alabaster, 4 paternoster Buildings, page 260:

     He does not trifle with them, or handle them with kid gloves. No, he judges them to be the scum of the earth, and he treats them accordingly by putting them away.

   • 2003 August 3, Stephen Pritchard, “Racist or just anti-Sharon?”, in The Guardian‎^[1]:

     [Richard] Ingrams has always enjoyed a reputation for insensitivity. As with other columnists in the British press, he treads on toes to make his point and rides roughshod over issues that others handle with kid gloves, or avoid altogether.

Translations

to treat something very delicately

• Czech: jednat v rukavičkách
• Finnish: käsitellä silkkihansikkain
• French: prendre des gants (fr)
• German: mit Samthandschuhen anfassen (de), mit Glacéhandschuhen anfassen
• Hebrew: טיפל בכפפות של משי (tipél bikhfafót shél méshi)
• Hungarian: kesztyűs kézzel bánik (valakivel, valamivel)
• Maori: whakahangahanga
• Polish: cackać się impf, obcyndalać się impf, patyczkować się impf
• Swedish: hantera med silkesvantar (sv), behandla med silkesvantar (sv)
• Vietnamese: nhẹ tay