- give someone what for
- Vrb phrs. A severe reprimand. E.g."I'll give you what for if you don't shut your mouth."
English slang and colloquialisms. 2014.
give someone what for
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give 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 * * * … Useful english dictionary
give someone what for — ► give someone what for informal , chiefly Brit. punish or scold someone severely. Main Entry: ↑what … English terms dictionary
give someone what for informal, — give someone what for informal, chiefly Brit. punish or scold someone severely. → give … English new terms dictionary
give 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 … Wiktionary
give someone what for — informal to punish someone or speak to them severely because they have done something wrong … English dictionary
give 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 … New idioms dictionary
I'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! … New idioms dictionary
give 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 … Useful english dictionary
what 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… … English dictionary
what-for — Pron. See give someone what for … English slang and colloquialisms
