took the wind out of her sails

Definitions

• discourage someone
  Advise against engaging in a particular activity or task, cautioning that it will not result in any positive outcome or benefit

• deflate someone's confidence or enthusiasm
  Describe a situation where someone's excitement or confidence is suddenly diminished, often by unexpected news or events

Examples of took the wind out of her sails

• After delivering a powerful speech that had the crowd cheering and applauding, the politician was left feeling deflated when her opponent released a damaging statement before she even had a chance to respond. The unexpected intervention took the wind out of her sails and temporarily dampened her spirits.

  The idiom "took the wind out of her sails" is used to describe a situation where someone's confidence, momentum, or enthusiasm is suddenly and unexpectedly deflated or halted. The phrase comes from the image of a sailboat that loses its forward motion when the wind is taken out of its sails. In this example, the release of the opponent's statement was like a sudden gust of wind blowing directly against the politician's sails, causing her to lose her stride and stumble.

• After nailing her presentation in front of the board of directors, Sarah confidently walked into her boss's office expecting a promotion. However, instead of congratulating her, he delivered some harsh criticism, effectively taking the wind out of her sails.

  The phrase "taking the wind out of someone's sails" refers to deflating a person's confidence or hope. In Sarah's case, her boss's negative feedback left her feeling deflated and discouraged, just as the wind is taken out of a sailboat's sail, causing it to lose momentum and direction.

• During the final moments of the tennis match, Jack's opponent was serving with all her might, determined to win. But Jack was quick to respond, returning the ball with such power that it sailed right over her head, stealing her momentum and taking the wind out of her sails.

  Here, the phrase is used to illustrate how Jack's unexpected and powerful response threw his opponent off-balance and left her feeling stunned and unmotivated. Just as a sudden gust of wind can disrupt a sailboat's course, Jack's impressive shot disrupted his opponent's focus and took the wind out of her sails.

• When Sarah found out that her boyfriend had been cheating on her, she immediately ended the relationship and cut off all communication. She was hurt and angry and didn't want to hear anything from him. Her best friend tried to console her, but Sarah refused to listen, saying, "You can't tell me anything; you really think that's going to help? Do you have any idea how much he hurt me? You took the wind out of my sails!"

  Here, Sarah uses the idiom to convey her frustration and anger, letting her friend know that she doesn't want to hear any unsolicited advice, as it won't change the fact that she has been deeply hurt. The idiom is used to illustrate that Sarah's friend's attempts at comforting her are pointless, as they have left her feeling completely deflated and demotivated.

• Max had been working on a project for months, pouring his heart and soul into it, hoping for a positive outcome. However, just as the deadline was approaching, a much younger and less experienced colleague was assigned to the project instead of him, effectively taking the wind out of his sails.

  Here, the phrase is used to illustrate how Max's expectations and confidence were deflated by the unexpected change in his job responsibilities. Just as a sudden gust of wind can disorient and discourage a sailboat, the unexpected reassignment left Max feeling demotivated and lost.

• After hitting her with a series of tough questions, the journalist's follow-up inquiry took the wind out of the politician's sails, leaving her stammering and unable to respond.

  This idiom is used when something deflates someone's confidence or weakens their resolve. In this example, the politician was caught off guard by a difficult question, but the journalist's next inquiry was even more challenging, causing the politician to lose her momentum and become speechless.

• The star athlete's team had been winning convincingly, but a crucial mistake by one of their players allowed the opposing team to score a goal, taking the wind out of their sails and breaking their momentum.

  This idiom is commonly used in sports to describe when a team or individual suddenly loses their momentum or edge due to a mistake, misfortune, or some other external factor. In this example, the team's confidence and momentum were deflated by the opposing team's score, which took the wind out of their sails and left them reeling.

• The entrepreneur had been confidently pitching her start-up to potential investors, but a skeptical comment from one of them took the wind out of her sails, causing her to stumble over her words and lose her composure.

  This idiom is used when someone's self-assurance or optimism is suddenly undermined or challenged, causing them to doubt themselves or lose their poise. In this example, the entrepreneur's confidence was shaken by a negative comment from an investor, which took the wind out of her sails and left her feeling unsure and uncertain.

Conclusion

The idiom "took the wind out of her sails" is commonly used to discourage someone from a particular action or to describe a situation where someone's confidence or enthusiasm is deflated. It is often used in a figurative sense to convey the idea of someone's energy or motivation being suddenly diminished.

This idiom can be used in various contexts, such as in personal relationships, work environments, or even in sports. It is a way of expressing how someone's spirit or motivation has been dampened, often due to unexpected events or discouraging news.

Origin of "took the wind out of her sails"

The origin of the idiom "took the wind out of her sails" can be traced back to sailing terminologies. In sailing, the phrase "to take the wind out of someone's sails" refers to the act of maneuvering a boat in a way that disrupts the flow of wind into another boat's sails, causing it to lose speed or momentum.

Over time, this nautical phrase has been adopted into everyday language to describe situations where someone's energy or enthusiasm is suddenly diminished. It is often used to convey the idea of someone being deflated or discouraged by unexpected events or news.

Example: When Sarah found out that she didn't get the promotion she was hoping for, it really took the wind out of her sails.