take the wind out of (one's) sails

1. To diminish one's enthusiasm, excitement, or positive outlook (about something). She thought she'd won, but when I told her the letter was a scam, it really took the wind out of her sails. It took the wind out of his sails to learn that nearly half of his bonus would go to taxes.

2. To deprive one of an advantage; to make a situation unfavorable or detrimental for one. The crowd's deafening applause for the home team took the wind out of their opponents' sails. Learning that the boss was letting Jenny give a proposal for the project as well really took the wind out of my sails.

take the ˈwind out of somebody’s sails

(informal) make somebody suddenly less confident or angry, especially when you do or say something that they do not expect: When he just smiled and agreed with her, it rather took the wind out of her sails.

take the wind out of somebody's sails

take the wind out of (one's) sails

take the ˈwind out of somebody’s sails