handled with kid gloves
Given special treatment
To handle someone or something with kid gloves is to treat them with extreme care, delicacy, or gentleness, often to avoid causing offense or damage.
Kid gloves are made from soft goatskin leather, so the expression suggests a touch so light it could not possibly harm.
The new CEO was handled with kid gloves during her first board meeting.
The phrase often implies that such careful treatment may be excessive or unwarranted.
- fragileEasily broken or damaged
- diplomaticTactful and sensitive
- cautiousCareful to avoid risk
- tactfulSocially sensitive and careful
- walking on eggshellsActing with extreme caution
gentle · soft touch · considerate · respectful · sensitive · precious · mindful · coddled · polite · protective · soft-handed · pampered · tender · vulnerable · discreet · measured · careful · thoughtful
handled with kid glovesmanhandled
Handled roughly or forcefully
pushed around · bulldozed · roughed up · put through the wringer · thrown to the wolves
handled with kid glovescalled out
Vocally summoned or criticized
laid into · read the riot act · told off · dressed down · chewed out
handled with kid glovesthrown to the wolves
Abandoned to hostile forces
handle, handled, handling, handles, handler, handlers, unhandled, kidded, glove