take the wind out of your sails 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) |