Rebuke: English Vocabulary List

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."