Example
“His joke touched a nerve because several colleagues had faced the same problem.”
Dictionary details
Tags
Related idioms
Expressions connected by reviewed component words or topic tags.
touch base
CEFR B1to make brief contact with someone, usually to update them or stay connected
happily ever after
CEFR B1living a happy life forever, especially as the end of a story
at a loss for words
CEFR B2unable to express yourself because an emotional or confusing moment leaves you speechless
take the wind out of someone's sails
CEFR B2to suddenly weaken a person's confidence, excitement, or determination
perish the thought
CEFR C1used as an emphatic rejection of an idea considered intolerable
bad news
CEFR A2an unpleasant piece of information; (informal) a person or thing likely to cause trouble
Source methodology
Meanings, register, CEFR, and examples come from the reviewed dictionary record. Expression notes may describe a reviewed present-day word picture or a background note; they are not presented as verified etymology.