To put someone in his place

[Olenek]

Hi everybody,

There are some idioms with the same sense "to show someone that they are not as good as they thought they were, to make a pompous or self-important person aware of his insignificance":

To take/ knock/ pull/ bring someone down a peg/ notch (or two);
To put/ keep someone in his (proper) place (show someone his place);
To cut someone down to size.

Are these phrases common in your country?
Do you use other idioms with the same sense?

Many Thanks for all your replies!

[5jj]

There are some idioms with the same sense "to show someone that they are not as good as they thought they were, to make a pompous or self-important person aware of his insignificance":

To take/ knock/ pull/ bring someone down a peg/ notch (or two);
To put/ keep someone in his (proper) place (show someone his place);
To cut someone down to size.

Are these phrases common in your country? Yes
Do you use other idioms with the same sense?

Knock someone off their perch.

[BobK]

Yes, but probably more so in Br Eng than in Am Eng. There is less consciousness of class in British society now than when this sketch was written - YouTube - BRITISH CLASS SYSTEM (Frost Report) - but a British person is still generally more comfortable with the idea of 'knowing your place' than his/her US cousin.

b

[SanMar]

All of them are known here.
Put someone in his/her place is pretty popular.

In Canada these expressions are used when talking about someone who is arrogant or rude. I would agree with BobK that it isn't often used to in reference to a social class in the States, even less so in Canada.


Not a teacher.