twist/turn the knife (in the wound)

idiom

informal
: to say or do things that cause more pain to someone who is already suffering
Any more cuts in government aid to these poor people will be twisting the knife in the wound.

Dictionary Entries Near twist/turn the knife (in the wound)

twist tie

twist/turn the knife (in the wound)

twit

See More Nearby Entries 

Cite this Entry

“Twist/turn the knife (in the wound).” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/twist%2Fturn%20the%20knife%20%28in%20the%20wound%29. Accessed 3 Feb. 2023.

Copy Citation

Share

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of challah

See Definitions and Examples »

Test Your Vocabulary

Challenging Words You Should Know

  • hedgehog reading a book
  • Often used to describe “the march of time,” what does inexorable mean?
Spell It

Hear a word and type it out. How many can you get right?

TAKE THE QUIZ
Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can with using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.

Can you make 12 words with 7 letters?

PLAY
Words at Play
Ask the Editors
Word Games