Turn your stomach
Meaning
To cause someone to feel extremely nauseous or deeply disgusted.
Origin
Consider the feeling of acute nausea: a literal churning and twisting within the gut. The phrase "turn your stomach" directly evokes this intense physical sensation, painting a vivid picture of the internal organs revolting against something repulsive. It isn't born from a specific historical event or obscure custom, but rather from a universal human experience—the visceral, unmistakable reaction of the body when faced with something so disgusting or disturbing that the stomach itself seems to contort and reject it. This powerful, descriptive imagery has kept the phrase alive and potent for centuries, a timeless shorthand for profound physical and emotional revulsion.
Examples
- The smell of the rotting meat was enough to turn her stomach, making her quickly leave the room.
- The politician's callous remarks about the suffering community turned his stomach, filling him with a sense of moral outrage.