haul someone over the coals

English

Etymology

In reference to a punishment once meted out to heretics.

Pronunciation

• Audio (AU):

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Verb

haul someone over the coals

1. (chiefly 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.

Synonyms

• berate
• give someone a dressing down
• give someone a telling off
• rake someone over the coals
• read someone the riot act
• scold
• tell someone off
• tear a strip off someone
• tear someone a new one
• tear someone a new asshole