a soft/an easy touch
a soft touch
1. A kind and tender way of acting. I don't have the patience to be a kindergarten teacher, but you'll be great at it because you have a really soft touch. Alex doesn't have a soft touch, so I'm curious to see how he fares on his pediatrics rotation. You should volunteer at the local animal shelter—I mean, you always have a soft touch with the neighborhood cats, so why not?
2. One who is easy to control or manipulate; one who bends to the desires or demands of others. Julia is a soft touch—we can get her to help us with this prank. My dad was pretty strict when we were growing up, but he turned into a real soft touch when he got older. Tom was always such a soft touch for his daughter, always jumping through hoops to make her happy.
an easy touch
1. A kind and tender way of acting. I don't have the patience to be a kindergarten teacher, but you'll be great at it because you have a really easy touch. Alex doesn't have an easy touch, so I'm curious to see how he fares on his pediatrics rotation. You should volunteer at the local animal shelter—I mean, you always have an easy touch with the neighborhood cats, so why not?
2. Someone who is easy to control or bend to one's wishes. Julia is an easy touch—we can get her to help us with this prank. My dad was pretty strict when we were growing up, but he turned into a real easy touch when he got older. Tom was always such an easy touch for his daughter, always jumping through hoops to make her happy.
easy touch
One who is easy to control or manipulate; one who bends to the desires or demands of others. My poor dad was always such a easy touch, always jumping through hoops to do anything his boss told him to. Julia is a easy touch—I bet we can get her to shoplift for us.
soft touch
One who is easy to control or manipulate; one who bends to the desires or demands of others. My dad was pretty strict when we were growing up, but he turned into a real soft touch when he got older. Julia is a soft touch—I bet we can get her to shoplift for us.
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2022 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.
soft touch
1. a gentle way of handling someone or something. Bess has a soft touch and can bring both sides together. Kelly lacks the kind of soft touch needed for this kind of negotiation.
2. a gullible person; a likely victim of a scheme. John is a soft touch. You can always ask him for a few bucks. Here comes the perfect soft touch—a nerd with a gleam in his eye.
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
soft touch
Someone easily persuaded or taken advantage of, especially in giving away money. For example, Ask Dan for the money; he's always a soft touch. [First half of 1900s]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer. Copyright © 2003, 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
a soft touch
oran easy touch
COMMON If someone is a soft touch or an easy touch, it is easy to make them do what you want or give you what you want. He did not get where he is today by being either a soft touch or a poor judge of his businesses. Pamela was an easy touch when she needed some cash. Note: To touch a person for money means to approach them and persuade them to let you have some money as a loan or a gift.
Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed. © HarperCollins Publishers 2012
a soft (or easy) touch
someone who is easily manipulated; a person or task easily handled. informalA touch was mid 19th-century criminal slang for the act of getting money from a person, either by pickpocketing or by persuasion. Touch was later extended to refer to the person targeted in this way, and a soft touch was specifically a person from whom money could easily be obtained.
1998 Times Henman can be something of a soft touch. For every leading player who touts his potential, two from the basement would relish his name in the draw.
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017
a soft/an easy ˈtouch
(informal) a kind and perhaps easily deceived person whom people ask for money, help, etc: Ask Tony to lend you some money. He’s a soft touch. OPPOSITE: a tough customer/cookie Touch was a slang term used by criminals to refer to the act of stealing something from someone, particularly from a pocket. A soft or easy touch was someone that it was easy to steal from.Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017
soft touch
1. n. a gentle way of handling someone or something. Kelly lacks the kind of soft touch needed for this kind of negotiation.
2. n. a gullible person; a likely victim of a scheme. John is a soft touch for a few bucks.
McGraw-Hill's Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions Copyright © 2006 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.