soft touch

plural soft touches

1. idiomaticA person or group that is sympathetic, accommodating, easily overcome, or easily persuaded, especially one that loans or readily gives money to another.

   She was a soft touch for anyone with a genuine need.

   2004, Jeanette Windle, Firestorm, →ISBN, page 55

   2 more examples

   But Fred Heimach, who batted for Quinn in the Brooklyn half and fanned, proved a soft touch for the Cardinals in the ninth.

   1931 August 15, Roscoe McGowen, “Baseball: Cards, in farewell, upset Robins, 9-3”, in New York Times, page 11

   The federal opposition says people smugglers now see Australia as a soft touch on border security.

   2008 December 8, “Get tough on border security, oppn”, in Sky News, Australia, retrieved 08 Dec 2008

   Synonyms: pushover, softy, sucker

2. idiomaticA comfortable situation; an easy task or undemanding occupation, especially one which is comfortably remunerative.

   I finally abandoned any lingering illusions I had had that Ministry work was a soft touch.

   1998, James Herriot, All Creatures Great and Small, →ISBN, page 266

   1 more example

   Many people, not in the teaching profession, have the mistaken idea that teaching is a "soft touch."

   1939, T. Mitchell, “The ‘Soft Touch’ in Teaching”, in Washington Education, volume 71, number 1, page 28