twisting the knife
Adding cruel emphasis
Twisting the knife is deliberately making someone's pain or humiliation worse, especially after already hurting them.
The image is of a stabber not content with the initial wound but rotating the blade to inflict maximum damage.
After firing him, they twisted the knife by having security escort him out in front of his team.
The phrase often appears as twist the knife or turn the knife.
- revengePunishing a wrongdoer
- gaslightingManipulation causing self-doubt
- schadenfreudeDelight in others' misfortune
- provocationAct that triggers response
- maliceIntent to cause harm
piling on · guilt-tripping · vindictiveness · sadism · going for the jugular · rubbing salt in the wound · salt in the wound · adding insult to injury · rubbing it in · betrayal · grudge · spitefulness · humiliation · contortion · shaming · corkscrew · curlicue · resentment
twisting the knifepouring oil on troubled waters
Calming a dispute
making amends · mending fences · building bridges · damage control
twisting the knifeletting it go
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