hit a nerve



hit/touch a (raw) nerve

to upset someone by talking about a particular subject I think I hit a nerve with my comments about divorce. She suddenly looked distressed and I knew I'd touched a raw nerve.
See strain every nerve
See also: hit, nerve

Common Names:

NameGenderPronouncedUsage
Xia-Chinese
Sabriyya-Arabic
JÓZsefYO-zhefHungarian
&Aelig;Lf&Thorn;Ry&Eth;-Anglo-Saxon
Rui-Portuguese
Arnatt['a:nət]