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sugar the pill

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sugar/sweeten the pill

  (British, American & Australian) also sugar-coat the pill (American)

to make something bad seem less unpleasant The government have cut income tax to sweeten the pill of a tough budget.

See also: pill, sugar

sugar the pill

Make something unpleasant more palatable, as in There would be no Christmas bonus this year but management sugared the pill by giving workers extra vacation time over the holidays . [Late 1700s]

See also: pill, sugar