From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishtea and sympathytea and sympathyBritish EnglishSYMPATHIZE kindness and attention that you give someone when they are upset → tea
Examples from the Corpus
tea and sympathy• It was possible, of course, that she wanted to dispense tea and sympathy, but he had his doubts.• Who would it hurt if we let ourselves be led via tea and sympathy to booze and bed? 