close to the bone

Meaning

1. so honest or clearly expressed that it is likely to cause offence to some people

In the movies · 2

• and it was found close to some bones of a sauropod dinosaur.David Attenborough's Natural History Museum Alive2014

From the same entry

• a bone of contention
• cut, pare, to the bone
• have a bone to pick with
• make no bones about
• not have a… bone in your body
• throw a bone
• to the bone
• a bag of bones
• the bare bones
• feel in your bones
• work your fingers to the bone
• put flesh on