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
RussRUSEnglish
Tase-Bulgarian, Macedonian
Marcius-Ancient Roman
Pernel-English (Archaic)
ViljamiVEEL-yah-meeFinnish
Vincentius-Late Roman