to rake over the coals
1rake\ over\ the\ coals — • haul over the coals • rake over the coals v. phr. To criticize sharply; rebuke; scold. The sergeant raked the soldier over the coals for being late for roll call. Syn.: dress down …
2rake over the coals — See: HAUL OVER THE COALS …
3rake over the coals — See: HAUL OVER THE COALS …
4rake over the coals — phrasal : to censure severely : reprimand, scold was raked over the coals for his habitual lateness * * * rake (someone) over the coals see ↑coal • • • Main Entry: ↑rake …
5rake over the coals — to talk about unpleasant things from the past that other people would prefer not to talk about. There s no point in raking over the coals all that happened twenty years ago, and there s nothing we can do about it now. (usually in continuous… …
6haul/rake over the coals — haul/rake (someone) over the coals informal : to criticize (someone) very severely I arrived late for the meeting and was immediately hauled over the coals by my boss. • • • Main Entry: ↑coal …
7rake sb over the coals — ► HAUL SB OVER THE COALS(Cf. ↑haul sb over the coals) Main Entry: ↑rake …
8rake someone over the coals — rake (or haul) someone over the coals reprimand someone severely * * * rake (someone) over the coals see ↑coal • • • Main Entry: ↑rake …
9rake someone over the coals — (USA) If you rake someone over the coals, you criticize or scold them severely …
10rake somebody over the coals — rake sb over the ˈcoals idiom (NAmE) (BrE haul sb over the ˈcoals) to criticize sb severely because they have done sth wrong Main entry: ↑rakeidiom …
