apple of one’s eye A prized or cherished possession, an object of special devotion or attention; a favorite or beloved person. The literal apple of the eye is the pupil, formerly thought to be a solid globular body. The figurative phrase, perhaps derived from the priceless value placed on vision, appears to be as old as the language itself, having been used by King Alfred in his translation of Boethius’ Consolation of Philosophy (approx. A.D. 885). The expression also appears in Deuteronomy 32:10.

He kept me as the apple of his eye.

button of the cap The top; the most favored. This expression comes from the use of different types of buttons or knobs on the top of the caps worn by Chinese mandarins to distinguish various degrees of rank. Shakespeare used the phrase in Hamlet (II, ii):

On Fortune’s cap we are not the very button.

fair-haired boy A person being groomed for a position of leadership; a favorite of those in power. Throughout Western mythology and folklore, the hero, an embodiment of goodness and beneficence, is traditionally pictured as having a light complexion, blue eyes, and light-colored or blond hair. In many cultures, both past and present, a fair-haired person is considered to be a god, godlike, or in some way superior to dark-haired people in the same culture. Thus, the expression describes anyone, not necessarily only a blond male, destined for leadership in a given field.

Joe Mooney … a blind [jazzianist] … is the latest “fair-haired oy” of the musical world. (Dave Bittan, Temple University News, January 24, 1947)Vishinsky was Stalin’s newest fair-haired boy. (Time, March 14, 1949)

Similar expressions include fair-haired girl, blue-eyed boy or girl, blonde-haired boy or girl, and white-haired boy or girl In recent years, such terms have sometimes been used derogatorily to describe an employee who attempts to curry favor with his superiors.

handle with kid gloves See CAUTIOUSNESS.

make chalk of one and cheese of the other To show favoritism; to treat one thing or person better than another. The terms chalk and cheese are often found in opposition to one another in proverbial expressions, where chalk stands for something worthless and cheese symbolizes something of value. Thus, to make chalk of one and cheese of the other means to treat two things or persons unequally, to favor one over the other.

make fish of one and flesh of another To favor one thing or person over another, to make unfair distinctions between similar things or persons; also to make fish of one and fowl of another. The allusion is to the practice of dividing meat into the categories of fish, flesh, and fowl. Thus, to make fish of one and flesh or fowl of another is to discriminate unnecessarily and unfairly between basically similar things or persons, to show partiality. Use of this expression, rarely heard today, dates from the early 18th century.

This is making fish of one and fowl of another with a vengeance. (The Manchester Examiner, May, 1885)

red-carpet treatment Preferential or royal treatment; also the phrase to roll out the red carpet ‘to give someone preferred or royal treatment.’ The reference is to the literal plush strip of red carpet traditionally laid out for the entrances and exits of kings and other heads of state.

sacred cow Any person, idea, or object held sacrosanct and consequently immune from attack or criticism. As commonly used, sacred cow carries the implication that inviolability is unwarranted, but that considerations of political expedience prevent dispassionate evaluations or judgments of merits. The expression is derived from the Hindu belief that cows are sacred; thus, they are never slaughtered, and are allowed to roam about freely.