If you’re handing something with kid gloves, what comes to mind? Small gloves? Or is it something else?
While the meaning is largely understood, the phrase “to handle with kid gloves”—as in to handle something delicately—should not in any way be connected with children.
Well, unless you mean a goat child, which brings us right back to the word “kid,” doesn’t it?
Yes, when you hear about those “kid gloves,” it’s not a reference to gloves for young people. The expression originates in reference to gloves made from “kid leather,” as in the skin of young goats or often young sheep. But we don’t often hear about “lamb gloves,” even if that may have been more accurate. It’s usually the “kid gloves” that get the attention.
Why kid gloves? Well, if you want to get down to specifics about leather, kid gloves are incredibly soft. In the 1700s, they could be found upon the hands of the wealthy who deemed them luxurious, as well as white-gloved butlers and servers who would be sure to wear them when handling silver, glassware, or anything that might smudge. Some deemed them ostentatious; some deemed them impractical; some deemed them simply lovely.
However, whether speaking about handing something gently (like candlesticks) or taking care of the gloves themselves (which weren’t always long-lasting because of their fine nature), it’s understood that careful conduct was key.
It’s less about the size of the gloves or the wearer. It’s all about the material. Of course, now the phrase is an idiom that can refer to handling people or situations carefully too. There are no literal gloves involved, just an expression that calls upon antiquated fashion statements and/or meticulously cautious touching. The phrase moved from the literal to the figurative in the late 1800s.
And as with many phrases, just because we say it doesn’t necessarily mean that we know what we’re talking about.
Next time you hear someone say something about “kiddie gloves,” you’ll know the difference. Now how to handle these English language faux pas… well, that depends on your audience. Perhaps the matter should be dealt with delicately. Perhaps, in fact, there’s an idiom that’s just perfect for this, no?
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