Gut punch?_其他_趣味英语-查字典英语网

Gut punch?

It could be much worse if the blow comes unexpectedly. Harry Houdini (1874-1926), the magician and escape artist, was believed by some to have died from, among other causes, an unexpected blow to the abdomen. Arthur Conan Doyle (1859-1930), who wrote the famous Sherlock Holmes stories, was one of the people who seemed to have believed so. Doyle believed Houdini’s tricks were not mere illusions. He believed that Houdini did possess some supernatural powers. Or at least he strongly suspected thus.

Doyle detailed his theories and suspicions in The Edge of the Unknown. Read the book to find out all about it if you’re interested.

We’ve been digressing but the point is, the gut is our soft spot and many of us cannot afford a tenacious blow to that area, not if we’ve not been well trained for it and certainly not when the attack catches us unawares.

Metaphorically speaking, any attack that is strong and impactful can be likened to a gut punch.

Here are recent examples from the media:

1. Rep. Adriano Espaillat (D-NY13) gave a passionate speech which highlights what will befall Americans if the House/Trumpcare bill passes.

He called it a “gut punch to America.”

The representative from New York’s 13th District told Congress. “Mr. Speaker, I strongly oppose this bill. We all should. Protecting ACA is a top issue for my constituents. Constituents like Leslie who without the protections of the ACA would not have gotten the treatment for leukemia that she was diagnosed with at the age of 22. Leslie is now in remission thanks to Obamacare. For Leslie, the ACA protections, like essential health benefits, were a matter of life and death. This Republican bill would destroy those patient protections.”