slap in the face
A sharp rebuke or rebuff, as in Being criticized in front of my staff was a real slap in the face, or We thought it quite a slap in the face when they returned our letter unopened. The figurative use of this term, which can also refer to a literal blow, dates from the late 1800s.
QUIZZES
QUIZ TIME: TEST YOUR MEMORY OF THE MAY 2020 WORDS OF THE DAY
Let the aeolian gusts transport you back to these popular Words of the Day from the month of May. How many do you remember?
Question 1 of 10
Which of the following words means “to travel or journey, especially to walk on foot”?
Words nearby slap in the face
slantwise, slap, slap bass, slap dashing, slap down, slap in the face, slap on the back, slap on the wrist, slap shot, slap-bang, slap-happy
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.