stick the knife in
To say or do something deliberately and unnecessarily malicious.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
“He really stuck the knife in with that mean comment.”
“Just when she was already feeling bad about her mistake, he stuck the knife in by criticizing her work in front of everyone.”
“Despite her attempts to reconcile, he chose to stick the knife in, reminding her of every past failure during the most public moment of her career.”
- 01
beat off with a stick
To reject (a person making an unwanted amorous approach).
- 02
beat with the ugly stick
Used to describe someone who is particularly ugly or unattractive.
- 03
bring a knife to a gunfight
To enter into a confrontation or other challenging situation without being adequately equipped or prepared.
- 04
carrot and stick
The simultaneous rewarding of good behavior and punishing of bad behavior.
- 05
catch a falling knife
To buy a financial instrument whose price is falling rapidly.
- 06
clue stick
A metaphorical stick used to beat information or understanding into a slow learner.
- 07
get on the stick
To get started; to begin working; to become active.
- 08
get stuck in
To dedicate a large amount of effort towards.
Last updated August 10, 2026