Meaning of reopen old wounds | Babel Free

Definitions

1. To cause the memory of past trauma to be recalled, resulting in renewed suffering.
   idiomatic
2. Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see reopen, old, wound.

Equivalents

Examples

“When I had completed The Difficult Flowering of Surinam in 1976, Fred Ormskirk, the late NPS historian and radio commentator, suggested I delete⟳ a number⟳ of the more unpleasant stories in the book, claiming that it was better to let⟳ go of the past and not reopen old wounds.”

“Please⟳, believe⟳ me—the last⟳ thing I want⟳ to do is reopen old wounds needlessly, but . . . but if it would finally bring⟳ a resolution to the whole mystery—"”

“We return⟳ to the countries that had once hurt⟳ and destroyed us in many irreparable ways and from which we once ran for dear life, in order⟳ to get⟳ hurt⟳ again and have⟳ our old wounds reopened.”

“Sometimes the treatments involved in healing the nation (such as appointing commissions of inquiry) reopen old wounds, therefore measures should be in place⟳ to cleanse those sores or stop⟳ them from festering.”

“Old wounds and ulcers reopen and ulcerate.”

CEFR level