Cut to the Quick

Main Entry:
abuse [v. uh-byooz; n. uh-byoos]
Part of Speech: verb
Definition: attack with words
Synonyms: backbite, bad-mouth, bash, belittle, berate, blow off, calumniate, cap, castigate, cuss out, cut down, cut to the quick, decry, defame, derogate, discount, do a number on, dump on, give a black eye, hurl brickbat, insult, knock*, minimize, nag, offend, oppress, persecute, pick on, put down*, rag on, reproach, revile, ride*, rip up, run down, scold, signify, slam*, slap, sling mud, smear, sound*, swear at, tear apart, trash*, upbraid, vilify, vituperate, zing
Notes: abuse carries with it some sense of harm; misuse refers to an incorrect use that may not lead to harm
to misuse is to use something wrongly, to abuse is to misuse something so badly that you damage it
Antonyms: acclaim, adulate, approve, commend, compliment, praise
Main Entry: displease
Part of Speech: verb
Definition: make unhappy
Synonyms: aggravate, anger, annoy, antagonize, bother, cap, chagrin, cool, curdle, cut to the quick, disappoint, discontent, disgruntle, disgust, disoblige, dissatisfy, enrage, exasperate, fret, frustrate, gall, hurt, incense, irk, irritate, nettle, offend, perplex, pique, play dirty, provoke, put out, repel, revolt, rile, roil, sound, turn off, upset, vex, wing*, worry, zing
Antonyms: appease, calm, compose, delight, humor, make happy, please, satisfy
Main Entry: humble
Part of Speech: verb
Definition: shame, put down
Synonyms: abase, abash, bemean, break, bring down, cast down, chagrin, chasten, confound, confuse, crush*, cut to the quick, debase, deflate, degrade, demean, demote, deny, discomfit, discredit, disgrace, embarrass, hide, humiliate, lower*, make eat dirt, make one feel small, mortify, overcome, pop one's balloon, pull down, put away, put one away, put to shame, reduce, silence, sink, snub, squash, squelch, strike dumb, subdue, take down a peg, take down, upset
Antonyms: build up, praise, promote
Main Entry: hurt
Part of Speech: verb
Definition: cause mental pain
Synonyms: abuse, afflict, aggrieve, annoy, burn, chafe, constrain, cut to the quick, discomfit, discommode, displease, distress, excruciate, faze, give no quarter, go for jugular, grieve, hit where one lives, injure, lambaste, lay a bad trip on, lean on, martyr, martyrize, prejudice, punish, put down, put out, sadden, sting*, thumb nose at, torment, torture, try, upset, vex, vitiate, work over, wound, zing
Antonyms: calm, placate, please, relieve, soothe
Main Entry: insult
Part of Speech: verb
Definition: abuse, offend
Synonyms: abase, affront, aggravate, annoy, blister, curse, cut to the quick, debase, degrade, deride, dishonor, disoblige, dump on, flout, gird, humiliate, injure, irritate, jeer, libel, mock, outrage, pan, provoke, put down*, revile, ridicule, roast, scoff, slam*, slander, slight, sneer, snub, step on one's toes, taunt, tease, underestimate, vex
Antonyms: compliment, flatter, praise
Main Entry: pain
Part of Speech: verb
Definition: bother, trouble
Synonyms: ache, afflict, aggrieve, agonize, ail, anguish, annoy, bite, chafe, chasten, constrain, convulse, cut to the quick, discomfort, disquiet, distress, exasperate, excruciate, gall, grieve, gripe, harass, harm, harrow, hit where one lives, hurt, inflame, injure, irk, irritate, nick, prick, punish, rack, rile, sadden, smart, sting, strain, stress, suffer, throb, tingle, torment, torture, upset, vex, worry, wound
Notes: a pain is something that hurts; an ache is a prolonged dull pain
a pain is something that hurts as a consequence of injury, disease, or emotional disorder; a pane is a sheet glass cut in shapes for windows or doors
Antonyms: aid, assist, assuage, help, please
Main Entry: slur
Part of Speech: verb
Definition: insult
Synonyms: blacken, blemish, blister, blot, blow off, brand, calumniate, cap, chop*, cut to the quick, cut up, defame, denigrate, detract, discredit, disgrace, dump on, give a black eye, hit where one lives, insinuate, kick in the teeth, libel, malign, miff, offend, push, put down*, reproach, roast, scorch*, skin alive, slander, slap in the face, slight, smear, snub, spatter, stain, tear down, traduce, vilify, zing
Antonyms: compliment, flatter, praise
Main Entry: wound
Part of Speech: verb
Definition: cause mental hurt
Synonyms: bother, cut to the quick, distress, disturb, do in, dump on, get*, grieve, hurt, hurt one's feelings, mortify, offend, outrage, pain, put down*, shake up, sting, traumatize, trouble, upset
Antonyms: appease, help
Main Entry: traumatize
Part of Speech: verb
Definition: inflict trauma
Synonyms: bother, cut to the quick, distress, disturb, do in, dump on, get*, grieve, hurt, hurt one's feelings, mortify, offend, outrage, pain*, put down*, shake up, shock, sting*, trouble, upset
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