cushion the blow


cushion the blow

To ease the pain or stress of something unpleasant. When my daughter had to get a shot at the doctor's office, I tried to cushion the blow by telling her we would go out for ice cream afterward.See also: blow, cushion

cushion/soften the ˈblow

make something unpleasant seem less unpleasant and easier to accept: When he lost his job he was offered a cash payment to soften the blow.See also: blow, cushion, soften