bawl out
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Verb: - To reprimand or scold someone severely and loudly, often in an angry manner. It implies a harsh, verbal rebuke delivered with strong emotion.
Usage
This verb is used to describe the act of angrily and loudly criticizing someone for a mistake or misbehavior. It is typically used in informal contexts.
Examples
- The coach bawled out the player for missing the crucial pass.
- My boss bawled me out for submitting the report late.
- She was afraid her father would bawl her out for crashing the car.
Advanced Usage
- The phrasal verb is often used in the pattern "bawl [someone] out" or "bawl out [someone]".
- It can be used in passive constructions:
Variants and Related Words
- Bawl (verb): To cry or shout loudly. (e.g., )
- Chew out (verb, phrasal, informal): A close synonym meaning to scold harshly.
- Tell off (verb, phrasal, informal): Another synonym for scolding someone angrily.
Synonyms
- Scold: To reprimand or criticize angrily.
- Berate: To scold or criticize angrily and at length.
- Reprimand: A formal expression of disapproval.
- Rebuke: To express sharp disapproval or criticism.
- Lambaste: To criticize severely or angrily.
Related Phrasal Verbs
- Chew out: To reprimand someone severely.
- The sergeant chewed out the new recruit.
- Tell off: To scold or reprimand someone.
- She told him off for being so rude.
- Dress down: To reprimand or scold someone.
- The manager dressed down the employee in front of the team.
Related Idioms
- Read [someone] the riot act: To give someone a severe warning or reprimand.
- After the prank, the principal read the students the riot act.
- Give [someone] a piece of one's mind: To express one's disapproval to someone angrily and frankly.
- I'm going to give that careless driver a piece of my mind.
Verb
- censure severely or angrily
- The mother scolded the child for entering a stranger's car
- The deputy ragged the Prime Minister
- The customer dressed down the waiter for bringing cold soup