Criticism, Rebuke, Discussion and 3 More Topics · English Idioms: Opinion

a sharp expression of one's disapproval or criticism of someone as a result of their action or behavior

"I sent him away with a flea in his ear."

"The angry mother sent her son away with a flea in his ear after he lied about where he had been all night."

to make an attempt to achieve or do something

"I want to have a go at painting."

"I have never tried snowboarding before but I would like to have a go this winter."

to angrily warn or threaten someone so that they will not make the same mistake

"Mom read me the riot act."

"The boss read him the riot act after the project failed."

to severely criticize someone because of their mistake

"They raked him over the coals."

"The boss raked the new employee over the coals for making such a terrible mistake."

to subject someone to severe criticism

"They dragged him over the coals."

"The teacher dragged the student over the coals for not completing his homework on time."

to violently criticize or punish a person over what they did or said

"The boss let him have it."

"After he broke the expensive vase, his mother really let him have it with a long, angry lecture."

to violently or forcefully hit a person or thing many times

"He will whale on him."

"The angry boxer began to whale on his opponent with a series of powerful punches to the head."

(of criticisms or warnings) failing to have any effect on a person

"His criticism is water off a duck's back."

"All the criticism from the newspapers was water off a duck's back to the politician who ignored it completely."

likely to receive much criticism

"He was on the firing line."

"The manager was in the firing line after the company lost millions of dollars last quarter."

to experience the effects or consequences of actions, often from others

"He was on the receiving end today."

"She was on the receiving end of harsh criticism from her boss after the project failed unexpectedly."

used to refer to the act of doing something with a lot of energy and excitement

"They were in full cry."

"The children were in full cry, chasing each other around the park with pure joy."

to demotivate a person by talking negatively about their plans or opinions

"Don't throw cold water on ideas."

"My boss always throws cold water on my creative proposals during meetings, which makes me feel discouraged and less motivated to share new ideas."

used when someone is criticizing another for a fault that they have as well

"That's the pot calling the kettle black."

"When he accused me of being lazy that was the pot calling the kettle black because he never does any work either."

to experience a significant loss, failure, or setback in a particular situation

"Our team took a beating yesterday."

"The company's stock took a beating after the disappointing earnings report was released to the public."

to criticize someone severely because of what they said or did

"They will have a go."

"The disgruntled customers decided to have a go at the company for its poor service and misleading advertising."

to strongly criticize someone or something for something bad that has happened

"They will whale on it."

"The critics will likely whale on the new film due to its predictable plot and uninspired performances."

to face strong negative feedback or verbal abuse

"He will take a beating."

"The small business owner was bracing himself to take a beating from angry investors after the significant financial losses."

one's tendency to speak to people in a very critical manner

"Her sharp tongue often hurts people's feelings."

"Her sharp tongue often hurts people's feelings and she apologizes later when she realizes what she said."

to speak to a person who has done something wong or inappropriate in a very angry or harsh manner

"I got the rough side of his tongue."

"The rude customer got the rough side of the shop assistant's tongue and left the store feeling embarrassed and angry."

to punish a person harshly, often by severely criticizing them

"My mother will skin me alive."

"The mother threatened to skin her son alive if he ever lied to her again about where he was going after school."

to speak to or criticize a person in an angry or serious manner, particularly because of their wrongdoing

"The sergeant tore a strip off the soldier."

"The sergeant tore a strip off the soldier for failing to polish his boots properly before the important inspection."

used to mean that someone is capable of criticizing or teasing others, but they become sensitive or defensive when faced with the same kind of criticism or teasing themselves

"He can dish it out, but cannot take it."

"My brother can dish it out with his constant jokes, but he could not take it when I teased him back."

to easily defeat someone by being more skilled, powerful, or aggressive compared to them

"The sharks will eat him alive."

"In the competitive business world, unprepared individuals can easily be eaten alive by more aggressive competitors."

used of a person or an organization that is facing strong and negative feedback

"The government is under fire."

"The company has been under fire from environmental groups for dumping toxic waste into the river."

receiving much criticism

"The town was under siege."

"The company's CEO was under siege from the media after the scandal broke."

to criticize or scold someone harshly or relentlessly

"Mom gave him hell yesterday."

"The teacher gave the students hell when she discovered they had not completed their homework on time."

to harshly reprimand someone for what they did

"They will eat him alive."

"If he fails to meet the deadline, the board members will undoubtedly eat him alive for his negligence."

a completely different matter in comparison to what one used to deal with

"That's a different horse color."

"He thought the problem was simple, but the new evidence revealed it was a horse of a different color."

an obvious issue, problem, or matter that people purposely ignore

"Let's address the elephant in the room."

"Nobody wanted to mention the elephant in the room which was the fact that the company was about to go bankrupt."

an issue or subject that is not in any way connected to what one was talking about

"Being a manager is a different kettle of fish."

"Trying to fix the car is one thing, but understanding quantum physics is a completely different kettle of fish."

a different matter that requires one's consideration in order to be resolved

"That's a different cup tea."

"While I enjoy action movies, a quiet evening with a book is a completely different cup of tea."

(of a process or action) to have two opposite effects, particularly a good and a bad one

"It can cut both ways."

"Implementing stricter security measures might cut both ways, improving safety but potentially hindering convenience."

a person who pretends to disagree with an opinion or idea just to promote a discussion concerning a particular subject

"He always plays devil's advocate."

"I like to play devil's advocate sometimes just to make sure everyone has considered all sides of the argument."

used to state one's indifference to the way a situation develops or what its result will be

"We can meet Tuesday or Wednesday — it makes no odds to me."

"Whether the report is ten pages or fifteen makes little odds as long as the content is accurate."

a reasoning or explanation that is deemed sufficient to justify or defend someone's actions

"No leg to stand on."

"The lawyer argued that his client had no leg to stand on without any concrete proof of his involvement."

used to refer to a topic that is being talked about by a lot of people

"The scandal is on everyone's lips."

"The scandal involving the famous actor has been on everyone's lips for the past few weeks."

(of a point or statement) to be applicable or relevant to both sides of an argument

"This statement can cut both ways."

"His argument about budget cuts was flawed because it tended to cut both ways, harming essential services as well as frivolous spending."

used to emphasize one's seriousness, determination, or truthfulness

"So help me, I will tell the truth."

"I will find out who broke my window so help me God and they will be very sorry."

to speak convincingly or authoritatively about a subject, especially in a way that suggests knowledge, expertise, or confidence

"He can talk the talk."

"He can talk the talk but when it comes to actually doing the work he is completely useless."

used to emphasize that something cannot be true or accurate

"I am not angry — nothing could be further from the truth."

"The rumour that the company was planning layoffs was categorically denied — nothing could be further from the truth, said the spokesperson."

to forcefully make a point in an argument or discussion to ensure that there are no misunderstandings

"He pressed his point home."

"The coach hammered home the importance of teamwork by showing video clips of successful plays executed by coordinated units."

used before stating the most important fact about a particular situation

"At the end of the day, family is most important."

"At the end of the day your happiness matters more than money or a fancy job title."

used before summarizing or stating most important facts of a situation

"In the final analysis, it was his fault."

"In the final analysis the success of the project depends on whether we can raise enough money to fund it."

to talk about something in a completely open and direct way

"Let's call a spade a spade."

"She is not afraid to call a spade a spade even when the truth is uncomfortable for people."

to deliberately delay or avoid talking about the main point

"Stop beating around the bush."

"Instead of beating around the bush, please tell me directly what the problem is."

to avoid talking about the details of something that has happened and only give the main points

"To make a long story short, we lost."

"To make a long story short we missed the flight but caught the next one and arrived only two hours late."

to get straight to the point or the most important part of a matter without wasting time on irrelevant details or preamble

"Let me cut to the chase."

"Please cut to the chase and tell me how much money you need instead of telling me a long story."

a thorough explanation of how something happened

"Long story... I will tell you later."

"Long story. I will tell you later, but right now I do not have enough time to explain everything."

used for saying that something has the same effect as another thing

"The project is for all intents and purposes complete."

"For all intents and purposes the old law has been replaced by the new one even though it has not been officially cancelled yet."

the final part of a joke or a humorous story that is intended to make the audience laugh or surprise them with a clever twist or unexpected ending

"The audience roars with laughter at the punch line."

"The audience laughed heartily at the punch line after a long buildup in the joke."

considering all the parts or items that make up a whole

"All told, there were fifty people."

"All told there were nearly two hundred guests at the wedding and everyone had a wonderful time celebrating."

the most important factor in an argument or a discussion that brings it to an end

"The bottom line is money."

"After all the discussion, the bottom line is that we cannot afford this extravagant project at this time."

used to say that there is no point in arguing about unpleasant things that happened in the past

"Our argument is water under the bridge."

"Our argument happened many years ago and it is water under the bridge now so let us forget about it."

a very violent and intense argument between two parties

"They had a blazing row."

"The neighbors had a blazing row over the fence line that lasted for hours."

to reply quickly and rudely to someone

"Do not jump down my throat."

"Please don't jump down my throat before you hear the full explanation of the situation."

to talk to someone frankly in order to settle a dispute or argument

"I will have it out."

"After weeks of tension, she decided it was time to have it out with her roommate."

used to ask someone not to make one talk about a certain topic as it might start a lengthy, unpleasant discussion

"Don't get me started!"

"If you ask him about his commute, do not get me started, he will complain for an hour."

to engage in an activity, particularly an argument, in a forceful, energetic, or violent manner

"They went at it hammer and tongs."

"The couple were going at it hammer and tongs and everyone in the building could hear them arguing loudly."

a state or situation in which one must face extreme hostility

"He walked into the lion's den."

"The brave journalist walked into the lion's den by agreeing to interview the dangerous dictator face to face."

to offer unnecessary or redundant instruction or advice to someone who is already experienced or knowledgeable in that particular area

"Don't teach grandma eggs."

"You cannot teach your grandmother to suck eggs; she's been a chef for decades."

to do something with the intention of harming or punishing someone only to face the consequences oneself

"Don't cut off your nose to spite your face."

"By refusing the promotion he cut off his nose to spite his face because he was angry with his boss."

to dismiss or fire someone from their job or position

"She showed the employee the door."

"When the customer became rude and aggressive the manager showed him the door immediately."

to use offensive words in an intense and rapid manner

"He stubbed his toe and swore a blue streak."

"When he hit his thumb with the hammer he swore a blue streak that shocked everyone nearby."

a person who is in the middle of two fighting or arguing sides

"He was monkey in middle."

"The mediator found himself the monkey in the middle of their escalating disagreement."

an argument or fight with someone that keeps on going for a long time

"The activists had a running battle with police."

"The activists had a running battle with police and clashes continued for several days."

a loud argument

"They had a shouting match."

"The two drivers got into a heated shouting match after the minor fender bender."

to stop criticizing or attacking another person

"Call off the dogs."

"After the public apology, the company decided to call off the dogs and cease further investigations."

a situation involving two people who refuse to compromise, hoping the other individual does so first

"It was a battle of wills."

"The negotiation turned into a clash of wills as neither side was willing to compromise on the terms."

to become involved in an argument or fight with someone

"They locked horns again."

"The two managers locked horns over the budget allocation, creating a tense atmosphere throughout the entire department meeting."

to angrily ask someone to leave a place

"Show him the door!"

"After his disruptive behavior at the party, the host had no choice but to show him the door."

to let someone know that their bad behavior made one annoyed or angry

"I gave him a piece of my mind."

"The angry customer gave the rude shop assistant a piece of her mind and then stormed out of the store."

to no longer bother someone and leave them alone

"Get out of my face!"

"After the argument, he finally told his persistent neighbor to get out of his face."

to continuously fight or argue over someone or something

"They fight like cats and dogs."

"My siblings fight like cats and dogs over the smallest things, which drives our parents crazy."

to punish someone in a manner more violent or severe than they deserve

"The teacher came down on me like a ton of bricks."

"The teacher came down on the student like a ton of bricks when she caught him cheating on the important exam."

a subject over which people disagree

"Money is a bone of contention between them."

"The main bone of contention between the two neighbours was the fence that separated their properties."

to angrily reply or react to someone

"I asked a simple question and he bit my head off."

"I just asked a simple question so there is no need to bite my head off like that."

in serious disagreement with someone

"The two politicians are at loggerheads."

"The two neighbours have been at loggerheads over the property boundary for several years now."

used when two or more people, groups, or organizations fight or disagree with one another

"The cats were at each other's throats."

"The two brothers were at each other's throats constantly during the long car journey across the country."

(of two people, groups, countries, etc.) in a state of conflict or hostility toward each other

"The two brothers are at daggers drawn."

"The two business partners have been at daggers drawn ever since they disagreed about how to invest the company's profits."

to completely defeat someone, leaving them feeling overwhelmed or powerless

"The business world will chew you up and spit you out."

"The tough competition in this industry will chew you up and spit you out if you are not strong enough to handle it."

to criticize or punish someone very harshly

"Boss brought hammer down."

"The manager had to bring the hammer down on the team for their repeated tardiness."

(of people) to use their fists in order to hit each other during a fight or competition

"The two men traded punches hard."

"The two boxers traded punches for twelve rounds, but neither of them was willing to give up."

to say offensive, criticizing, or rude things to someone, particularly one's opponent, to make them less confident

"Stop talking trash about him."

"The two boxers talked trash to each other before the fight but one of them was knocked out in the first round."

used to indicate that a situation has reached a point where it is no longer tolerable or acceptable, and it is time for it to stop or change

"Enough is enough — I am not putting up with this anymore."

"After the third policy violation in a month, the director stood up and said enough is enough."

in a situation that is likely to cause a disagreement or fight

"They are on collision course."

"The two departments, with their conflicting objectives, seemed to be on a collision course."

to cause trouble or upset by saying or doing something that brings conflict into a peaceful situation

"He threw the cat among pigeons."

"The new policy threw the cat among the pigeons, causing confusion and anger among the employees."

in a situation in which someone is very upset or angry with one for having or not having done something

"I am in the dog house again."

"After forgetting their wedding anniversary he has been in the dog house with his wife for over a week now."

to put down or humiliate a person who is too proud or self-righteous

"He needs to be taken down a notch."

"The arrogant champion was taken down a notch when a young unknown boxer defeated him easily in the ring."

to engage in a verbal conflict by exchanging criticisms, insults, etc.

"They trade punches."

"The two politicians spent the entire debate trading punches instead of discussing substantive policy issues."