soften the blow | Idiomator

Meaning: (figuratively)Toreducethenegativeimpactof something.Synonym:cushion the blow2014, Noah-Jay Michael,Mastering Conversational Hypnosis: Learn the Principles of Hypnotic Language Patterns, Lulu.com,→ISBN, page52:Traditionally, people gave a compliment first so it wouldsoften the blowof what was to come after. It does notsoften the blow, it fully erases the fact that they ever been complimented because their mind is focused on the last thing they heard,[…]2015, Cindy Sanford,Letters to a Lifer: The Boy ‘Never to be Released’, Waterside Press,→ISBN, page181:In prison there are no loved ones tosoften the blowof such terrible news. I hated being the one to tell him, but it was infinitely better than if he got the news from someone he rarely heard from.2022September 4, Erika Solomon, “Wary of Cold Days and Hot Tempers, Europe’s Leaders Vow Economic Relief”, inThe New York Times‎[1],→ISSN:European governments moved this weekend tosoften the blowof soaring costs and a deepening energy crisis triggered by the war in Ukraine, and scrambled to prepare for the possibility of social unrest as the days grow colder.

Examples:

EN: What are you trying to do, Joe, soften the blow?
ES: ¿Pretendes suavizar el golpe?
EN: You didn't do it to soften the blow or save my face?
ES: Del todo. ¿No es para suavizar el golpe o sacarme la cara?
EN: ─ It would soften the blow?
ES: ¿Para suavizar el golpe?
EN: Alright, soften the blow for him.
ES: Muy bien, suavízaselo a él, cuéntaselo.
EN: Lynne's warmth and affection for Doug... helped so much to soften the blow of his sister's death.
ES: La calidez de Lynne y su cariño por Doug... mitigaron el golpe que sintió con la muerte de su hermana.
EN: My cabin will be empty. Just a note of apology and a few presents to soften the blow.
ES: Mi camarote estará vacío, con una nota de disculpa y unos pocos regalos para suavizar la situación.
EN: You just sort of soften the blow a little bit.
ES: Tú limítate a allanar el terreno un poco.
EN: Now that you thrown me out, don't try to soften the blow with a few cheap dollars.
ES: Ahora que me echaron, no intenten suavizar el golpe con unos dólares baratos.
EN: And this was just to soften the blow.
ES: Y esto fue solo para suavizarlo.
EN: One was right to presume it would soften the blow of being separated.
ES: Supuso bien que esto aliviaría el dolor de estar separados...
EN: Every time you have something unpleasant to say, you always soften the blow by insulting me first.
ES: Siempre que vas a decirme algo desagradable, suavizas el golpe ofendiéndome primero.
EN: Well, I was gonna try to soften the blow, but since you're not being very civil, I might just as well drop it on ya.
ES: Bueno, iba a intentar decírtelo delicadamente... pero como no estás siendo muy cortés, te lo diré sin rodeos.
EN: He'll soften the blow.
ES: Al menos tengo un escudo.
EN: How to soften the blow?
ES: ¿Cómo suavizar el golpe?
EN: Normally the students pick them up themselves, but, well, Madame Likova can be very... harsh, so I wanted to soften the blow by bringing them here myself.
ES: Normalmente los estudiantes recogerlos ellos mismos, pero, bueno, la señora Likova puede ser muy ... duras, así que quería suavizar el golpe por traerlos aquí mismo.

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