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.
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agree to disagree »
To tolerate each other's opinion and stop arguing; to acknowledge that an agreement will not be reached.
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all and sundry »
Each one.
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argue out »
To discuss to reach an agreed conclusion, or decision.
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arm's length »
Barely within reach.
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arrive at »
To reach.
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at cross-purposes »
Mutually misunderstanding each other's plans, intentions or meanings.
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at hand »
Readily available; within easy reach; nearby.
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bat a thousand »
To achieve success at each attempt.
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bat a thousand »
To reach first base on every at-bat.
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bigger fish to fry »
A higher valued result or target to reach.
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bone of contention »
Something that continues to be disputed; something on which no agreement can be reached.
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bury the hatchet »
To stop fighting or arguing; to reach an agreement, or at least a truce.
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cat and mouse game »
Two individuals and/or groups repeatedly keeping check on each other in a suspicious or self-protective way, often with the goal of one or both parties trying to gain a malicious advantage over the other.
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catch up »
To be reaching something that had been ahead.
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