an iron hand/fist in a velvet glove
used to describe someone who seems to be gentle but is in fact forceful and determined
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Severe
- austere
- authoritarian
- be heavy on sb idiom
- disciplinarian
- draconian
- flinty
- hard
- heavy
- iron
- rigour
- roundly
- rule sth with an iron hand/fist idiom
- severe
- severely
- sharp
- stern
- strict
- strictly
- strictness
- take a hard line on sb/sth idiom
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You can also find related words, phrases, and synonyms in the topics:
Strong-willed