a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down »
An otherwise unpleasant situation can be pleasant when a pleasant aspect is deliberately introduced.1999, Eli Yassif, The Hebrew Folktale: History, Genre, Meaning, Indiana University Press, ISBN 0253335833, page 372,One is known as the "sweetening parable," that is to say a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down. Thus, when the aim is to preach to the people, to guide them along the "bitter," arduous path of upholding burdensome precepts and prohibitions, a tale can lighten the load, make the "medicine" easier "to swallow."2001, Maureen Reagan, First Father, First Daughter: A Memoir, Little, Brown, ISBN 0316736368, page 319,It put some fun into the tedious business of preparing for a presidential debate. A spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down, right?2004, John Hoover, How to Work for an Idiot: Survive & Thrive... Without Killing Your Boss, Career Press, ISBN 1564147045, page 11,If a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down, a barrel of laughs can wash down the big pills you might need to swallow.
|
against the clock »
In a time-restricted manner, to meet a deadline, hurriedly, timed.
|
albatross »
Any of various large seabirds of the family Diomedeidae ranging widely in the Southern Ocean and the North Pacific and having a hooked beak and long narrow wings.
|
all told »
With everything included, counted or summed.
|
all wet »
Utterly incorrect; erroneous; uninformed.
|
almost doesn't count »
Near success (or correctness) is not deemed success (or correctness).
|
any press is good press »
Being mentioned in the media is beneficial to the subject because it gets publicity.
|
armed forces »
The Services
|
ask my arse »
A common reply to any question; still deemed wit at sea, and formerly at court, under the denomination of selling bargains.
|
at a moment's notice »
Immediately; instantaneously; without need of warning.
|
at once »
Immediately; now; right away.
|
au fait »
fully informed;
|
bad money drives out good »
Debased coinage (with low levels of precious metals) replaces purer coinage (with higher levels of precious metals).(metaphorically) Mediocre talent drives away real talent.
|
bang up job »
Something done very well; something performed above average or better than expected.
|
beside oneself »
Overcome; consumed by an emotion.
|
| Search from any page on the Web with Abbreviations.com AutoSearch. It's free! |
