[knock] the (wind|breath|stuffing) out of {sb}
1
to do something, particularly something others do not expect, in order to make them feel less confident or important
The idiom "knock the wind out of someone" is used to describes a forceful impact or event that leaves a person stunned, breathless, or disheartened. The exact origin of this phrase is not precisely documented, but it likely comes from the concept of physical blows or impacts that can leave a person momentarily stunned or breathless.
- Sorry, I didn't mean to knock the wind out of your sails or anything.I just don't want you getting your hopes up about this.
- When he found out that he didn't get the job, it really knocked the stuffing out of him.
- Losing the championship game knocked the wind out of the young athlete, leaving her deeply disappointed.
- The unexpected news of the company's bankruptcy announcement knocked the breath out of the employees, who had never seen it coming.
- The harsh criticism from his boss knocked the stuffing out of John's confidence, making him doubt his abilities.