give someone what for
1give someone what for — informal phrase to punish someone or speak to them severely because they have done something wrong Thesaurus: to punish someonesynonym punishment of being legally killedhyponym Main entry: give * * * …
2give someone what for — ► give someone what for informal , chiefly Brit. punish or scold someone severely. Main Entry: ↑what …
3give someone what for informal, — give someone what for informal, chiefly Brit. punish or scold someone severely. → give …
4give someone what for — Vrb phrs. A severe reprimand. E.g. I ll give you what for if you don t shut your mouth …
5give someone what for — verb To punish; to rebuke. She gave him what for all right. But you could see she was ever so pleased and she went around telling everybody about it. Syn: give someone a piece of ones mind, let someone have it …
6give someone what for — informal to punish someone or speak to them severely because they have done something wrong …
7give someone food for thought — give (someone) food for thought to make someone think seriously about something. What you ve suggested has certainly given me food for thought …
8I'll give you what for! — I ll give (you) what for! informal something that you say when you are very angry with someone and intend to punish them. I ll give you what for, young lady, coming home at 2 o clock in the morning! …
9give someone hell — (informal) 1 when I found out I gave him hell: REPRIMAND SEVERELY, rebuke, admonish, chastise, chide, upbraid, reprove, scold, berate, remonstrate with, reprehend …
10what for — spoken 1) used for asking the reason for something I need to have your name and address . What for? what ... for: What did you hit him for? 2) informal old fashioned if you give someone what for, you punish them If I catch that boy in my garden… …
