rub someone's nose in
The idiom 'rub someone's nose in' is often used to describe the act of reminding someone of their mistakes or failures in a humiliating manner.
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Definition
B2Everyday conversation
(informal)To repeatedly remind someone of their mistake or failure to embarrass them.
Example
- She couldn't help but rub his nose in it after he forgot their anniversary.
- Instead of helping him learn, his coach just rubbed his nose in every missed shot.
B2Interpersonal conflicts
(informal)To force someone to acknowledge their shortcomings in a humiliating way.
Example
- He rubbed her nose in her poor decision during the meeting.
- Stop rubbing my nose in my mistakes; I already feel bad enough.
Similar
Terms that have similar or relatively close meanings to "rub someone's nose in":
throw something in someone's facerub inin someone's facerub up againstturn up one's nosethumb one's noseunder someone's noserub upput someone in their placeget in someone's hairwipe the floor with someone