thorn in someone's side
A persistent annoyance.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
“That noisy neighbor is a thorn in my side.”
“The constant technical errors have become a real thorn in my side while I finish this report.”
“Although the new policy was intended to improve efficiency, it became a persistent thorn in the side of the department, causing more frustration than progress.”
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another nail in someone's coffin
An event that increases the likelihood of or causes further failure.
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answer someone's prayers
To be or do exactly what someone has been wishing or asking for.
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answer to someone's prayers
Exactly what someone has been wishing or asking for.
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apple of someone's eye
The object of somebody's affections; a person (or sometimes a thing) that someone strongly prefers; a favorite, a loved one.
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bane of someone's existence
Someone or something that poses a significant problem to someone.
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bash someone's face in
To beat someone violently.
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bash someone's head
To beat up someone violently.
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be someone's to lose
To be anticipated to be won by someone.
Last updated August 10, 2026