have the wind in (one's) sails イディオム

knock the wind out of his sails

cause him to slow down, cause him to quit, knock him down a peg (see knock you down a peg) If you tell him his letter is full of errors, you'll knock the wind out of his sails.

take the wind out of one's sails

Idiom(s): take the wind out of one's sails

Theme: CHALLENGE

to challenge someone's boasting or arrogance. (Informal.)
• John was bragging about how much money he earned until he learned that most of us make more. That took the wind out of his sails,
• Learning that one has been totally wrong about something can really take the wind out of one's sails.

take the wind out of one's sails|sail|sails|take|w

v. phr. To surprise someone by doing better or by catching him in an error. John came home boasting about the fish he had caught; it took the wind out of his sails when he found his little sister had caught a bigger one. Dick took the wind out of Bob's sails by showing him where he was wrong.
Compare: TAKE THE STARCH OUT OF².

trim one's sails

trim one's sails
Modify one's stand, adapt to circumstances, as in His advisers told him to trim his sails before he alienated voters and bungled the election completely. This metaphoric expression alludes to adjusting a ship's sails to take full advantage of prevailing winds. [Late 1700s]

knock the wind out of his sails

cause him to apathetic down, account him to quit, beating him down a peg (see beating you down a peg) If you acquaint him his letter is abounding of errors, you'll beating the wind out of his sails.

take the wind out of one's sails

Idiom(s): take the wind out of one's sails

Theme: CHALLENGE

to claiming someone's boasting or arrogance. (Informal.)
• John was aloof about how abundant money he becoming until he abstruse that best of us accomplish more. That took the wind out of his sails,
• Learning that one has been absolutely amiss about article can absolutely booty the wind out of one's sails.

take the wind out of one's sails|sail|sails|take|w

v. phr. To abruptness addition by accomplishing bigger or by communicable him in an error. John came home boasting about the angle he had caught; it took the wind out of his sails back he begin his little sister had bent a bigger one. Dick took the wind out of Bob's sails by assuming him area he was wrong.
Compare: TAKE THE STARCH OUT OF².

trim one's sails

trim one's sails
Modify one's stand, acclimate to circumstances, as in His admiral told him to trim his sails afore he alienated voters and bungled the acclamation completely. This allegorical announcement alludes to adjusting a ship's sails to booty abounding advantage of prevailing winds. [Late 1700s]