sweetness

Related to sweetness: sweetness and light

(all) sweetness and light

1. Of a person, particularly pleasant, amiable, or magnanimous, especially to an ostentatious or exaggerated degree. That's just toddlers for you—horrible temper tantrums one moment, sweetness and light the next. She's all sweetness and light most of the time, so it's really surprising when she makes such nasty remarks.
2. Of a situation, particularly pleasant, enjoyable, or appealing. Often used in negative constructions. Anyone expecting the project to be sweetness and light from beginning to end is naïve. I know it seems like they have the perfect marriage, but it's not all sweetness and light behind closed doors.
See also: and, light, sweetness

all sweetness and light

Kind and agreeable. Susan's all sweetness and light, I'm sure she's not mad at you.
See also: all, and, light, sweetness

be all sweetness and light

To be kind and agreeable. Susan's all sweetness and light, I'm sure she's not mad at you.
See also: all, and, light, sweetness
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

all sweetness and light

Cliché very kind, innocent, and helpful. She was mad at first, but after a while, she was all sweetness and light. At the reception, the whole family was all sweetness and light, but they argued and fought after the guests left.
See also: all, and, light, sweetness
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.

sweetness and light

Ostentatious amiability and friendliness, as in One day she has a temper tantrum, the next day she's all sweetness and light. This phrase was coined by Jonathan Swift in his Battle of the Books (1704), where it referred literally to the products of bees: honey and light from beeswax candles. But in Matthew Arnold's Culture and Anarchy (1869), the term meant "beauty and intelligence." In the 20th century, however, it was applied to personal qualities of friendliness and courtesy and to the general pleasantness of a situation, as in Working with him isn't all sweetness and light, you know. Today it is generally used ironically, indicating lack of trust in a person's seeming friendliness or for a difficult situation.
See also: and, light, sweetness
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.

sweetness and light

or

all sweetness and light

1. If a person is sweetness and light or all sweetness and light, they are very polite and pleasant, often when they are not usually like this. She was sweetness and light, showing everyone what a proper young lady she was. I used to be all sweetness and light on the outside, but inside I would be boiling with rage.
2. If a situation is sweetness and light or all sweetness and light, it is happy and pleasant. He is not suggesting that all is sweetness and light in the area. Note: You can say that a situation is not all sweetness and light to mean that it is unpleasant or has problems. It has not all been sweetness and light between him and the Prime Minister.
See also: and, light, sweetness
Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed.

sweetness and light

1 social or political harmony. 2 a reasonable and peaceable person.
This is a phrase used by Jonathan Swift in The Battle of the Books ( 1704 ) and taken up by Matthew Arnold in Culture and Anarchy ( 1869 ): ‘The pursuit of perfection, then, is the pursuit of sweetness and light’.
See also: and, light, sweetness
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary

be all ˌsweetness and ˈlight


1 (of a person) be pleasant, friendly and polite: She’s all sweetness and light as long as you’re doing what she wants.
2 (of a situation) be enjoyable and easy to deal with: Their quarrel seems to be over. Everything’s all sweetness and light at the moment.
See also: all, and, light, sweetness
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary

sweetness and light

Saccharine goodness and cheerfulness. Originally this term was used in all seriousness by Jonathan Swift (Battle of the Books, 1697) for the two products of bees, honey and wax (for candles), and by Matthew Arnold (Culture and Anarchy, 1869) for beauty and intelligence. It was the latter that led to its widespread adoption. Today, however, it is always used ironically, as in, “‘This one’s on Thames House.’ ‘That’s very generous of them,’ said Goss drily. ‘You know us. Sweetness and light’” (Stella Rimington, At Risk, 2004).
See also: and, light, sweetness
The Dictionary of Clichés by Christine Ammer
See also:
  • (all) sweetness and light
  • all sweetness and light
  • sweetness and light
  • wax eloquent
  • eloquent
  • bleeding
  • bleeding heart
  • a bleeding heart
  • welfare Cadillac
  • get blood out of a stone
References in periodicals archive
BLOCKS THE TASTEBUDS THAT DETECT SWEETNESS AND SENSITIZES THOSE THAT DETECT ACIDITY
SALT IS WINE'S BEST FRIEND
| Split Rock Riesling 2014, Nelson, New Zealand, PS11.99, laithwaites.co.uk DUBBED the sommeliers' favourite grape, riesling complements so many dishes - and this Kiwi really delivers, with fresh blossomy, spring flower aromas, and a whisper of sweetness to the round, peachy, citrusy fruit and mouth-watering finish.
on the grapevine sam wylie-harris RAISES A GLASS TO THE YEAR OF THE DOG; sam wylie-harris RAISES A GLASS TO THE YEAR OF THE DOG
"Show me someone who truly hates sweetness, and Ill show you someone to invite on a picnic," he says, "since you can eat all the delicious strawberries on top of the basket, and he can eat all the runty little green ones that sank to the bottom."
Sweet on sweet wines? Dry doesn't always mean better
All you need is a tinge on just about anything for a hint of sweetness.
The sweetness of sugar-without the calories, cholesterol and guilt
Ten panelists were trained to evaluate apple aroma, flavor, sweetness and sourness intensity in various apple solutions.
Sugar type, concentration influence apple juice flavor and aroma intensity
Along with subtle sweetness and that sublime juicy texture, peaches are a fab source of antioxidants to help support your immune function, and also contain iron and potassium.
3 more super summer fruits
However,for the purpose of export,farmers should harvest the exotic fruit when the sweetness is 8-10 degree Brix as it increases post harvest life of mango, says a release issued by media liaison unit of Punjab agriculture department.
Mango ready for harvest when sweetness reaches 10-12 degree Brix'
Maple syrup should has the ability for substitution of the honey, agave syrup, table sugar and the brown sugar because it has the equal quantity of sweetness as the honey and agave syrup has and it has almost double sweetness from the table sugar and brown sugar.
Maple - a magic tree producing more sweetened sugar
Daufresne Brut Cidre tastes of ripe apples with spice and sweetness, the company says, with a balance between sugar and acid.
Daufresne Brut Cidre and Perry
EverSweet sweetener is made with the same sweetness found in the stevia leaf, Reb M and Reb D, and provides consumers the taste they crave with better sweetness intensity, faster sweetness onset and improved sweetness quality--without the bitterness or off-note aftertaste, the company said.
Cargill develops EverSweet Stevia
The Sierra/Riegle collaboration is a rich, grainy take on the style, straight out of the old country, where they know malt richness can be achieved without overwhelming the palate with sweetness.
Brew notes: Octoberfest!
The relative sweetness of sucrose is set to one or 100 per cent.
The mathematics of replacing sugar
The sight of Lula Ann repels them to the point that her mother doesn't want to touch her and insists she call her "Sweetness" instead of "Mother." Lula Ann's father eventually abandons his wife and child altogether.
God Help The Child
Nose: Initial smokiness giving way to a heather, floral quality, leading to a honey and toffee sweetness with notes of dark chocolate.
Whiskies of the emerald isle
Its warmth and tinge of sweetness went very well with a ginger and lemongrass king prawn.
Another layer of flavour made beers even better; BREWING with Richard Fletcher