take the wind out of (your) sails

to make you feel less confident or determined.

I was really mad at him, but he greeted me with flowers, which immediately took the wind out of my sails.

Etymology: based on the literal meaning of take the wind out of someone's sails (= to slow down a competing boat by catching the wind in your own sails and preventing it from filling the other boat's sails)

• pass over someone
• pass over something
• pass something off as
• pass something off as something
• pass something on
• pass something on to
• pass something on to someone
• pass the baton
• pass the buck
• pass the hat
• pass the hat around
• pass the hat round
• pass the smell test
• pass the time
• pass the time of day
• pass the time of day with
• pass the time of day with someone
• pass the torch
• pass the torch to
• pass the torch to someone
• pass up
• pass up something
• pass yourself off as
• pass yourself off as someone
• past its prime