haul someone over the coals en · VERB
Pronunciation
- (Australia) audio
Etymology
In reference to a punishment once meted out to heretics.
Meanings
-
(UK, idiomatic) To express anger with someone in no uncertain terms when they do something wrong.
The teacher hauled him over the coals for not doing his homework.
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| hauled someone over the coals | Tense=Past, VerbForm=Part | lexicographic | |
| hauled someone over the coals | Tense=Past | lexicographic | |
| hauls someone over the coals | Number=Sing, Person=3, Tense=Pres | lexicographic | |
| hauling someone over the coals | Tense=Pres, VerbForm=Part | lexicographic |
Synonyms
rake over the coals · read someone the riot act · pull someone over the coals · tell off · berate · scold · tear someone a new asshole · give someone a dressing down · tell someone off · tear someone a new one · give someone a telling off · tear a strip off someone