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wound
pour salt in(to) the/(someone's) wound(s)
To make something that is already difficult, unpleasant, or painful even worse; to accentuate, aggravate, or intensify a negative situation, emotion, or experience (for someone). After losing the championship match, it really poured salt in John's wound for his girlfriend break up with him the next day. My pride was already hurting when I didn't get the job, but hearing that they gave it to Dave really poured salt into the wound. I can't believe you would ask me to pay you back on the day that I got laid off. Thanks for pouring salt in my wounds, man.
salt in the/(one's) wound(s)
An aggravation that makes something unpleasant, difficult, or painful even worse. I can't believe Sally broke up with John the day after his team lost the championship match. Talk about salt in the wounds! My pride was already hurting when I didn't get the job, but it was like salt in my wound to hear that they gave it to Dave instead.
have (someone) wound around (one's) (little) finger
To have complete control, dominance, or mastery over somebody; to be able to make someone do whatever one wishes. The spoiled little brat has his parents completely wound around his little finger. Everyone accused her of getting the promotion by having the boss wound around her finger.
have (someone) wound round (one's) (little) finger
To have complete control, dominance, or mastery over somebody; to be able to make someone do whatever one wishes. The spoiled little brat has his parents completely wound round his little finger. Everyone accused her of getting the promotion by having the boss wound round her finger.
wind up in
To arrive someplace or in some situation, with the sense that getting there was not planned. My brother is a very spontaneous traveler and just spends his time in whatever country he winds up in! We had some time to kill before the concert, so we walked around and wound up in a coffee shop.
all wound up
Very tense and/or nervous. Jittery. A: "Why is Don pacing?" B: "I think he's all wound up because he's next to get a?performance review."
time heals all wounds
Emotional pain lessens over time. I know it's hard to consider now, as you're grieving, but time heals all wounds. I'm sure you will reconcile with Kathleen eventually. After all, time heals all wounds.
lick one's wounds
Fig. to recover from a defeat or a rebuke. (Also literal for an animal.) After the terrible meeting and all the criticism, I went back to my office to lick my wounds.
rub salt in a wound
Fig. to deliberately make someone's unhappiness, shame, or misfortune worse. Don't rub salt in the wound by telling me how enjoyable the party was. Bill is feeling miserable about losing his job and Bob is rubbing salt into the wound by saying how good his replacement is.
rub something in
Fig. to keep reminding one of one's failures; to nag someone about something. I like to rub it in. You deserve it! Why do you have to rub in everything I do wrong?
rub salt into somebody's wounds
to make someone feel even worse about something rub it in It's too bad Charlie couldn't come, but let's not tell him they let us in for free - there's no point rubbing salt into his wounds.
lick your wounds
to avoid or ignore other people after an unpleasant experience Mary's film career was a failure, and she went home to lick her wounds in private.
Etymology: based on the idea of an injured animal that licks its wounds (cleans an injury with its tongue)
lick your wounds
to feel unhappy after a defeat or an unpleasant experience
Usage notes: When dogs and other animals are injured, they lick their wounds (= injuries) in order to help them get better.
After retiring to lick its wounds, the party is regaining its confidence. open/reopen old wounds
to make someone remember an unpleasant event or situation that happened in the past For many soldiers who served in Vietnam, the current conflict has reopened old wounds.
rub salt in/into the wound
to make a difficult situation even worse for someone Losing was bad enough, having to watch them receiving the trophy just rubbed salt into the wound.
lick one's wounds
Recuperate from injuries or hurt feelings. For example, They were badly beaten in the debate and went home sadly to lick their wounds. This expression alludes to an animal's behavior when wounded. It was originally put as lick oneself clean or whole, dating from the mid-1500s.
rub in
Also,
rub it in. Harp on something, especially an unpleasant matter, as in
She always rubs in the fact that she graduated with honors and I didn't, or
I know I forgot your birthday, but don't keep rubbing it in. This idiom alludes to the expression
rub salt into a wound, an action that makes the wound more painful; it dates from medieval times and remains current. [Mid-1800s] Also see
rub someone's nose in it.
rub in
v.1. To work something into a surface by rubbing: I put lotion on my hands and rubbed it in. Don't try to clean the shirt now—you will only rub in the stain.
2. To talk deliberately and excessively about something unpleasant in order to make another person feel bad: She always rubs in the fact that she has more money than me. I know I made a mistake—there's no need to rub it in.
walking wounded
1. n. soldiers who are injured but still able to walk. (Standard English.) Many of the walking wounded helped with the more seriously injured cases.
2. n. a person who is injured—mentally or physically—and still able to go about daily life. The outpatient clinic was filled with the walking wounded.
3. n. stupid people in general. Most of network programming seems to be aimed at the walking wounded of our society.
lick (one's) wounds
To recuperate after a defeat.