SET BACK ON ONE'S HEELS


Meaning of SET BACK ON ONE'S HEELS in English

v. phr. , informal To give an unpleasant surprise; upset suddenly; stop or turn back (someone's) progress. Jack brags too much and it set him back on his heels when the coach told him he wasn't as good a player as he thought he was. Jean was doing very well in school until sickness knocked her back on her heels.

Compare: KNOCK FOR A LOOP, THROW FOR A LOSS.

American idioms English vocabulary.      Английский словарь американских идиом.