reopen old wounds: meaning & examples

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Language: English

Meanings:

  • 1.

    USUKAustraliaGlobalinformalneutralidiomaticMachine
    • To bring up past hurts, grievances, or traumatic events in a way that causes renewed emotional pain or distress.

    Examples

    Beta

    • Bringing up their old argument only served to reopen old wounds between the siblings.

      Bringing up their old argument only served to reopen old wounds between the siblings.

    • Jessica avoided the topic to prevent reopening old wounds from her difficult past.

      Jessica avoided the topic to prevent reopening old wounds from her difficult past.

    • The documentary seemed to reopen old wounds in the community by revisiting controversial events.

      The documentary seemed to reopen old wounds in the community by revisiting controversial events.

  • 2.

    GlobalneutralMachine
    • To cause a healed physical injury, scar, or surgical site to open or become injured again.

    Examples

    Beta

    • After the surgery, the patient accidentally reopened old wounds by overexerting himself.

      After the surgery, the patient accidentally reopened old wounds by overexerting himself.

    • The doctor warned that certain movements could reopen old wounds and delay healing.

      The doctor warned that certain movements could reopen old wounds and delay healing.

    • She was careful not to reopen old wounds while recovering from her previous injury.

      She was careful not to reopen old wounds while recovering from her previous injury.

    • Reopening old wounds is a risk when resuming physical activity too soon after an accident.

      Reopening old wounds is a risk when resuming physical activity too soon after an accident.

Examples:

  • EN: Who do you think you are to disrupt lives and reopen old wounds?
    ES: ¿Quién se cree que es para abrir viejas heridas?
  • EN: Jings, mate, don't reopen old wounds. Was I doing that, Craig? Was I reopening old wounds?
    ES: Pienso, que esto se reduce, a que la gente esta, quizás, celosa de mi éxito.
  • EN: Jings, mate, don't reopen old wounds.
    ES: Jings, tío, no reabras viejas heridas.
  • EN: Why reopen old wounds?
    ES: Porqué reabrir viejas heridas?
  • EN: I knew it would reopen old wounds, but...
    ES: Sabía que reabriría viejas heridas, pero...
  • EN: Well, it must...reopen old wounds.
    ES: Bueno, el... reabrir viejas heridas.
  • EN: I'm sorry to reopen old wounds, but Louise didn't kill herself.
    ES: Siento reabrir viejas heridas, pero Louise no se suicidó.
  • EN: - If you come back to Dallas, you will just reopen old wounds.
    ES: - Si vuelves a Dallas, solo reabrirás viejas heridas.
  • EN: If you come back to Dallas, you will just reopen old wounds.
    ES: Si vuelves a Dallas, solo reabrirás viejas heridas.
  • EN: No, don't reopen old wounds, it's not a good idea.
    ES: -No abras viejas heridas, que no te conviene.
  • EN: Why do you reopen old wounds?
    ES: ¿Qué quiere de nosotros? ¿Por qué insiste en viejas heridas?
  • EN: Last thing you want to do is reopen old wounds.
    ES: La última cosa que quieres hacer es reabrir viejas heridas.
  • EN: You were afraid to reopen old wounds.
    ES: Tenías miedo de reabrir viejas heridas.
  • EN: The last thing we want to do is reopen old wounds.
    ES: Lo último que queremos es reabrir viejas heridas.
  • EN: I'm sorry, we didn't mean to reopen old wounds.
    ES: Lo siento, no queríamos abrir viejas heridas.

Related Idioms

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Source: Wiktionary

reopen old wounds | Idiomator