Definition

Verb (transitive, informal): - To reprimand, scold, or criticize someone severely and angrily. It implies a verbal dressing-down, often in a loud or harsh manner.

Usage

This phrasal verb is used to describe the act of angrily telling someone that they have done something wrong. It is most commonly used in informal American English. The object of the reprimand (the person being scolded) follows the verb.

Examples

• The coach chewed out the entire team for their lack of effort during the game.
• My boss chewed me out for missing the deadline.
• She was afraid her father would chew her out for crashing the car.

Advanced Usage

• The phrasal verb is separable. The object (e.g., , ) can be placed between "chew" and "out" or after the complete phrasal verb.
  • Correct: He chewed his assistant out. / He chewed out his assistant.
• Often used in passive constructions to describe the state of the person receiving the reprimand.
  • I got chewed out by the principal.
  • He was chewed out for his careless mistake.

Variants and Related Words

• Chewing-out (noun): The act or instance of severely reprimanding someone.
  • He received a severe chewing-out from his supervisor.

Synonyms

• Reprimand: To express formal disapproval of someone's actions.
• Scold: To angrily criticize someone, especially a child.
• Berate: To scold or criticize angrily and at length.
• Tell off (informal): To speak angrily to someone about something they have done wrong.
• Dress down (informal): To reprimand or scold someone.

Related Phrasal Verbs

• Rip into (someone): To criticize or attack someone very angrily.
  • The critic ripped into the director's latest film.
• Lay into (someone): To attack or criticize someone verbally with great force.
  • She really laid into him for forgetting their anniversary.

Verb

1. 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