Example: His comment seemed to hit a nerve with everyone.
Definition
"To hit a nerve" means to say or do something that provokes a strong emotional reaction, often because it touches on a sensitive or personal issue. For example, if his comment seemed to hit a nerve with everyone, it likely struck a sensitive topic that elicited a noticeable response.
Translations
tocar una fibra sensible
een gevoelige snaar raken
tocar una fibra sensible
toucher un point sensible
einen Nerv treffen
Etymology
The phrase "to hit a nerve" originates from the idea of physically striking a nerve in the body, which causes an immediate and often intense sensation or pain. Figuratively, it came to mean provoking an emotional reaction by touching on a sensitive subject. Did you know? This metaphorical use is common in many languages, highlighting how physical sensations often help describe emotional experiences.
Learn to use this expression actively
"To hit a nerve" appears in the Vocaplus list "English - General - Idioms and Proverbs - (C2) - set 1", containing 106 commonly used expressions.
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