velvet glove
Gentle coercive manner
A velvet glove suggests gentle or diplomatic handling that may conceal underlying firmness or power.
The phrase almost always appears in an iron fist in a velvet glove—authority exercised with soft manners but unyielding resolve: She managed the department with a velvet glove, but everyone knew she'd fire you in a heartbeat.
- softnessYielding to gentle pressure
- touchPerceiving through physical contact
- carefulExercising caution and attention
- hidden handCovert controlling influence
- smoothWithout roughness or difficulty
smooth operator · tact · diplomacy · rule · subtlety · firmness · manipulation · veiled threat · diplomatic pressure · soft power · suavity · finesse · veneer · iron hand · firm hand · power play · persuasion · gentleness
- power metaphorsiron fist, iron grip, reins, puppet master, pulling strings
- power idiomspull strings, hold sway, call the shots, throw weight around, power play
- body idiomsheart of gold, heart of stone, cold heart, warm heart, soft heart
- leadership termscaptain, shepherd, helmsman, navigator, pilot
- metaphorsbroken heart, dead metaphor, mixed metaphor, time is money, extended metaphor
velvet gloveiron fist
Brutal autocratic rule
heavy hand · brute force · strong-arm tactics · hard power · jackboot
velvet glovebluntness
Frank, unvarnished manner
heavy-handedness · hardball · rough treatment · strong-arming · bullying
velvet glovebluntness
Frank, unvarnished manner
roughness · coarseness · harshness · abrasiveness · crudeness
glove, velvet, gloves, velvety, gloved, velveteen, velvetlike, velvetiness, glovemaker