put a hurt on
Inflict serious harm
Put a hurt on means to cause significant harm, damage, or distress to someone or something.
The phrase often appears in contexts involving physical injury He really put a hurt on that guy in the ring, but it extends to financial, emotional, or competitive damage as well That unexpected bill put a hurt on my savings.
The construction emphasizes the severity or lasting impact of the harm inflicted.
- afflictCause persistent distress
- injureCause physical harm
- devastateDestroy thoroughly and completely
- trounceDefeat decisively
- pummelStrike repeatedly with fists
beat the tar out of · cripple · defeat · traumatize · rout · take apart · wound · beat down · lay out · knock around · upset · batter · incapacitate · do a number on · thrash · overwhelm · run roughshod over · annihilate
put a hurt onspare
Held in reserve
take a dive · show mercy · cut some slack · let off the hook · build up
put, puts, putting, putter, hurt, hurts, hurting, hurtful, hurtfully