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)

• the here and now
• the high and mighty
• the highest rung on the ladder
• the high ground
• the highways and byways
• the holy of holies
• the home straight
• the home stretch
• the hot ticket
• the house from hell
• the icing on the cake
• the ins and outs
• the ins and outs of
• the ins and outs of something
• the Ivy League
• the jewel in the crown
• the joker in the pack
• the joke's on
• the joke's on someone
• the jury is out
• the jury is still out
• the kiss of death
• the knives are out
• the land of milk and honey
• the last gasp of