touch a nerve

touch a nerve
To make a remark or perform a deed which produces a strong response, especially an emotional response such as anxiety or annoyance, because it calls to mind something which has been a source of concern or embarrassment.

Louis B. Seltzer, editor of the Cleveland Press, . . . banged out an editorial that raised uncomfortable questions about the state of the U.S. at a moment of world responsibility. His piece touched a nerve: in the following week, 1,000 people had tried to reach him by phone or written him letters or stopped him on the street to talk about it.


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  • touch a nerve — touch a (raw) nerve to cause an emotional reaction. This film touched a nerve with many people who were already feeling very uneasy about the state of the world. Any talk of raising the cost of college tuition hits a raw nerve with students …   New idioms dictionary

  • touch a nerve — ► touch (or hit) a (raw) nerve refer to a sensitive topic. Main Entry: ↑nerve …   English terms dictionary

  • touch a nerve — to upset someone, or to make them angry Eileen s innocent remark seemed to have touched a nerve …   English dictionary

  • touch a nerve — …   Useful english dictionary

  • hit/strike/touch a nerve — to make someone feel angry, upset, embarrassed, etc. Something she said to him must have hit/struck/touched a nerve. I ve never seen him so angry. His controversial column might have hit a (raw/sensitive) nerve with some readers. • • • Main Entr …   Useful english dictionary

  • touch — touch1 [ tʌtʃ ] verb *** ▸ 1 put body part on someone/something ▸ 2 have no space between ▸ 3 affect emotions ▸ 4 change/influence someone/something ▸ 5 eat/drink something ▸ 6 use something ▸ 7 work on something ▸ 8 deal with someone/something ▸ …   Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

  • touch — 1 /tVtS/ verb FEEL SB/STH PHYSICALLY 1 (T) to put your hand or another part of your body on something or someone so that you can feel them: Small children are constantly moving and wanting to touch everything. | She couldn t bear the thought of… …   Longman dictionary of contemporary English

  • touch */*/*/ — I UK [tʌtʃ] / US verb Word forms touch : present tense I/you/we/they touch he/she/it touches present participle touching past tense touched past participle touched 1) [transitive] to put your hand or part of your body on someone or something Beth …   English dictionary

  • Nerve fiber — Latin neurofibra MeSH Nerve+Fibers Code TA A14.0.00.001 A nerve fiber is a threadlike extension of a nerve cell and consists of an axon …   Wikipedia

  • nerve — ► NOUN 1) a fibre or bundle of fibres in the body that transmits impulses of sensation between the brain or spinal cord and other parts of the body. 2) (nerves or one s nerve) steadiness and courage in a demanding situation: the journey tested… …   English terms dictionary

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