| 1. | a blow driven to the opponent's body between the breastbone and the navel. |
| 2. | any action that causes severe damage, losses, etc.: Our business received a body blow in the recession. |
| body blow n.
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body blow
An action that causes severe damage, as in This last recession dealt a body blow to our whole industry. This term comes from boxing, where since the 18th century it has been used to refer to a punch that is landing between the opponent's chest and navel. [c. 1900]