throw something in someone's face

== English == === Etymology === The figurative act of throwing a gift (senses 1 and 2), prize (sense 3) or merely an object (sense 4) in someone's face. === Verb === throw something in someone's face (third-person singular simple present throws something in someone's face, present participle throwing something in someone's face, simple past threw something in someone's face, past participle thrown something in someone's face) To reject some act in a spiteful manner. To repay an act of kindness with disappointment or betrayal. To lord over someone by exerting dominance, following a successful confrontation; sometimes in a subtle or snide manner. Synonym: rub something in someone's face To raise a past transgression in order to admonish someone. Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see throw,‎ something,‎ in,‎ someone,‎ face. ==== Usage notes ==== The term is commonly used with the word it, as in throw it in my face. This is often a regular pronoun with a clear referent, as in "I paid her a compliment, but she threw it in my face", where it refers to the compliment. However, with senses 3 and 4, it can also act as a dummy pronoun, as in "She throws it in my face every time we argue", where it does not necessarily refer to any specific thing. The example could instead be parsed as "She brings up my past transgressions every time we argue".