bring (something) home to (someone)

1. Literally, to come home with something, such as a gift or treat, for someone. I knew you were sad to miss the dinner party, so I brought a dessert home to you. When my dad travels for work, he always brings presents home to us from the places he visits. Please don't bring any souvenirs home to the kids—they have too many toys as it is.

2. To cause something to be more intimately acknowledged, recognized, or understood by someone. Her passionate speech about the environment really brought the importance of conservation efforts home to me. It seems like the doctor's lecture about lung cancer brought the dangers of smoking home to everyone in the audience. When discussing financial forecasts, we recommend including plenty of detailed charts to bring your point home to potential clients.

bring something home to someone

If someone or something brings something home to you, it makes you understand how important or serious it is. I knew I was lucky really. Being in hospital really brought it home to me. I think this war brought it home to a lot of people just what our families are going through when we are away somewhere like that.

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Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed. © HarperCollins Publishers 2012

bring something home to someone

make someone realize the full significance of something.

See also: bring, home, someone, something, to

See also: