be close to the bone

be close to the bone

To be very close to the truth in a hurtful way. Of course I'm mad—dad's remarks about how I'm wasting my life were close to the bone.
See also: bone, close
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.
See also:
  • close to the bone
  • close to/near the bone
  • have a bone on
  • bone out
  • doesn't have a (certain kind of) bone in (one's) body
  • unkind
  • crazy bone
  • bone dry
  • be bone idle
  • out of joint