词源趣谈 | take the wind out of someone's sails 使某人泄气

take the wind out of someone’s sails 指通过突然将某人置于劣势而削弱其自信心。比如：

• Trump took the wind out of Bob's sails by showing him where he was wrong.
  特朗普指出鲍伯的错误，使后者很难堪。

该短语源自这样一种情况：一艘船距离另一艘处于上风侧的船过近时，后者会因为没有了风而无法前行。