Example
“His joke touched a nerve because several colleagues had faced the same problem.”
Dictionary details
Related idioms
Expressions connected by reviewed component words or topic tags.
touch base
Informal · CEFR B1
to make brief contact with someone, usually to update them or stay connected
happily ever after
Informal · CEFR B1
living a happy life forever, especially as the end of a story
at a loss for words
Neutral · CEFR B2
unable to express yourself because an emotional or confusing moment leaves you speechless
take the wind out of someone's sails
Neutral · CEFR B2
to suddenly weaken a person's confidence, excitement, or determination
perish the thought
Neutral · CEFR C1
used as an emphatic rejection of an idea considered intolerable
bad news
Informal · CEFR A2
an 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.