Second, this lack of divergence is also the outcome of the EU's softly-softly approach to human rights and democracy in Morocco.2003, Annette Jünemann, Euro-Mediterranean relations after September 11, →ISBN:
Etymology Reduplication of softly. Likely an allusion to softly, softly, catchee monkey or a similar phrase.
1
UK In a very tactful, careful, or nondisruptive manner.
We couldn't get him back into training before Christmas time because he picked up an injury at the Cheltenham Festival last year and we had to go softly softly.2006 April 28, “Royal heads Betfred field”, in RTE Sport, Ireland, retrieved 22 Jun 2009: