| Subject | English | Russian |
| gen. | an iron fist in a velvet glove | мягко стелет, жёстко спать (something that you say when you are describing someone who seems to be gentle but is in fact severe and firm. To enforce each new law the president uses persuasion first, and then force – the iron hand in the velvet glove. CI Alexander Demidov) |
| gen. | an iron fist in a velvet glove | непреклонность, прикрытая внешней мягкостью, обходительностью (VLZ_58) |
| Makarov. | an iron fist in a velvet glove | мягко стелет, да жёстко спать |
| gen. | an iron fist in a velvet glove | мягко стелет-жёстко спать (an iron fist (or hand) in a velvet glove, a stern disciplinarian or authoritarian nature concealed beneath an amiable manner: *It's the iron hand in the velvet glove does the trick, she used to say. –KATHERINE SUSANNAH PRICHARD, 1929. MD Alexander Demidov) |
| gen. | an iron fist in a velvet glove | худое гостеприимство (VLZ_58) |
| proverb | iron fist in a velvet glove | мягко стелет, да жёстко спать |
| gen. | iron fist in a velvet glove | мягко стелет – жёстко спать |
| proverb | iron hand fist in a velvet glove | мягко стелет, да жёстко спать |
| proverb | iron hand fist in a velvet glove | железная рука в бархатной перчатке |
