English verb: have words | |||
1. | have words (communication) censure severely or angrily | ||
Samples | 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. | ||
Synonyms | bawl out, berate, call down, call on the carpet, chew out, chew up, chide, dress down, jaw, lambast, lambaste, lecture, rag, rebuke, remonstrate, reprimand, reproof, scold, take to task, trounce | ||
Pattern of use | Somebody ----s somebody. Somebody ----s PP | ||
Broader (hypernym) | criticise, criticize, knock, pick apart | ||
Narrower (hyponym) | brush down, castigate, chasten, chastise, correct, objurgate, tell off | ||