(old) soft shoe

Something, such as a speech or explanation, delivered especially carefully and skillfully in order to convince or persuade. This salesperson keeps trying to give me the old soft-shoe, despite the fact that I already told him I don't want a new TV! Once the boss made it clear that we were not going to accept the settlement, I gave him the soft-shoe about our alternative suggestions. Knock it off with the soft shoe, huh? I'm not changing my mind on this!

soft shoe

1. noun A style of tap dance that uses soft-soled shoes, as opposed to ones with hard metal soles. This phrase can refer to an actual choreographed dance or to a shuffling movement that vaguely resembles it. Thank goodness my sister finally does the soft shoe now—I was so sick of listening to her bang around in her hard tap shoes! Once I realized the boss was on a call, I did a soft shoe back out of her office.

2. verb To perform such a dance or movement. Thank goodness my sister finally soft shoes now—I was so sick of listening to her bang around in her hard tap shoes! Once I realized the boss was on a call, I soft shoed back out of her office.

3. verb By extension, to do something carefully and skillfully. Once the boss made it clear that we were not going to accept the settlement, I soft shoed onto our alternatives.

4. noun Something, such as a speech or explanation, delivered especially carefully and skillfully in order to convince or persuade. In this usage, the phrase is often hyphenated. I didn't want a TV, but the old soft-shoe the salesperson kept giving me eventually changed my mind.

5. adjective By extension, cautiously and tentatively, so as not to worsen or destabilize something. The phrase is hyphenated if used before a noun. I know people are upset with the prime minister, but if you ask me, her soft-shoe approach is necessary so as to not jeopardize our important economic relationship with that country.