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.
|
across the pond »
On the other side of the Atlantic Ocean.
|
all in all »
everything considered
|
all kidding aside »
Used to attempt to make a serious point in a jocular conversation.
|
all out »
The state of a side having no more men to bat, thus ending its innings.
|
all things being equal »
Without considering or being affected by external factors.
|
am I right or am I right »
Rhetorical question from somebody who has stated what they consider to be an unassailable truth.
|
an offer one can't refuse »
An offer from one side in any transaction with terms so attractive that the other side is almost guaranteed to accept.
|
an offer one can't refuse »
An offer from one side in any transaction with the results of failing to accept so unattractive that the other side is almost guaranteed to accept.
|
arse over tit »
Tumbling; falling; upside-down; unstable or unbalanced.
|
arsy varsey »
Tumbling upside down; head over heels.
|
ass over teakettle »
Tumbling upside down.
|
at home »
In one's place of residence.
|
bat for both sides »
To be a batter for both teams in an amateur baseball game.
|
be-all and end-all »
Something considered to be of the utmost importance; something essential or ultimate.
|
| Search from any page on the Web with Abbreviations.com AutoSearch. It's free! |
