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
Shulammite-Hebrew, Biblical
Montgomery[mənt'gʌməri]
AmieAY-meeEnglish
Klimentklee-MYENT (Russian)Russian, Ukrainian, Bulgarian, Macedonian
Tiberiusti-BE-ri-uwsAncient Roman
LuÍSeach-Irish