cut to the quick

blesser profondément

Faire beaucoup de peine à quelqu’un par ses paroles ou ses actes.

En anglais simple : To hurt someone very deeply through your words or actions.

• Her words cut me to the quick.
• His rejection had cut her to the quick.
• She felt cut to the quick by that accusation.

Comment l'utiliser : cut someone to the quick (Her cold reply cut him to the quick.); be cut to the quick (He was cut to the quick by their laughter.)

Synonymes : wound, hurt deeply

Expressions courantes : cut to the quick, cut someone to the quick

aller au fond du problème

Aborder directement le problème douloureux ou difficile au cœur d’un sujet.

En anglais simple : To discuss the painful or difficult issue at the heart of a subject directly.

• His question cut to the quick.
• The essay cuts to the quick of the debate.
• By mentioning trust, she cut to the quick of their problem.

Comment l'utiliser : cut to the quick of something (Her question cut to the quick of our disagreement.)

Synonymes : get to the heart of, go to the root of

Expressions courantes : cut to the quick, cut to the quick of something

couper jusqu’à la chair vive

Couper jusqu’à atteindre la chair sensible sous un ongle ou une autre couche dure.

En anglais simple : To cut into the sensitive living flesh under a nail or other hard outer layer.

• I cut my nail to the quick.
• The dog yelped when its claw was cut to the quick.
• Take care not to cut those claws to the quick.

Comment l'utiliser : cut something to the quick (He accidentally cut the nail to the quick.)

Expressions courantes : cut to the quick, claws cut to the quick