let (one) down gently

To deliver bad news to someone in the kindest or least upsetting way possible. When you tell Ed that somebody already asked you to the dance, please let him down gently. I tried to let Susan down gently, but she burst into tears nonetheless.

Common Names:

Name	Pronounced	Usage
Katarine	kah-tah-REE-nə	German
Keiko	ke:-ko	Japanese
Timaeus	tie-MEE-əs (English)	Ancient Greek (Latinized), Biblical Latin, Biblical
Sullivan	SUL-i-vən	English
Zvonimir	-	Croatian, Medieval Slavic
VerÔNica	-	Portuguese