body blow

[bod-ee bloh]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

noun

Boxing.��a blow driven to the opponent's body between the breastbone and the navel.
any action that causes severe damage, losses, etc..
Our business received a body blow in the recession.

body blow

noun

Also called: body punch.��boxing a blow to the body of an opponent
a severe disappointment or setback
unavailability of funds was a body blow to the project

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Word History and Origins

Origin of body blow¹

First recorded in 1785–95

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Idioms and Phrases

An action that causes severe damage, as in This last recession dealt a body blow to our whole industry. This term comes from boxing, where since the 18th century it has been used to refer to a punch that is landing between the opponent's chest and navel. [c. 1900]

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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

The mayor underscored similar points in a Sunday morning interview with CNN’s Dana Bash, describing the disruption and fear as “a body blow to our economy.”

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UK steelmakers said US President Donald Trump's decision to double import taxes on steel and aluminium to 50% is "yet another body blow" to the industry.

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It ultimately led to her release, but you’ve covered a lot of judicial proceedings, and you clearly experienced this as something akin to a body blow.

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And once again, this will be a self-own delivered under the guise of a naive belief that they are acting in a narrow, forward-looking manner, rather than dealing yet another body blow to democracy and the rule of law.

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Their last-gasp defeat at Middlesbrough on Friday was a body blow to their hopes of staying up, and they could be all but extinguished if results go against them on Monday.

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