преподносить пилюли

• ПОДНОСИТЬ/ПОДНЕСТИ (ПРЕПОДНОСИТЬ/ПРЕПОДНЕСТИ) ПИЛЮЛЮ (-и) кому{{}}

[VP; subj: human]

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⇒ to say or do sth. unpleasant, offensive, hurtful etc to s.o.:

- X поднес Y-y пилюлю{{}}≈ X got Y where it hurts;

- X gave Y a bitter pill to swallow