deal (someone or something) a blow

deal (someone or something) a blow

1. To be very surprising or detrimental. Getting a bad grade in my favorite subject really dealt my self-confidence a blow.

2. To cause the abrupt end of something. His arrest and subsequent conviction dealt his successful career as an attorney a blow. Despite the company's recent success, the massive recall dealt it quite a blow.

See also: blow, deal

deal somebody/something a ˈblow

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deal a blow to somebody/something

be a shock for somebody; make something fail, etc: The death of her father dealt her a terrible blow. ♢ Losing his job dealt a blow to his hopes of buying his own house.

See also: blow, deal, somebody, something