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Definition 2024
tear_a_strip_off
tear a strip off someone
English
Alternative forms
- tear strips off someone
Verb
- (idiomatic) To scold vigorously.
- 1952, New Zealand Parliament, Parliamentary Debates, Volume 295, page 116,
- Last night the honourable member for Miramar was going to tear a strip off the Minister of Works; […] .
- 2012, Kimberley Rose Dawson, Carousel: The Relapse: Spinning Out of Control, page 260,
- But before Debra went out the door behind her she proceeded to tear a strip off both Miguel and Anna Maria.
- Miguel ended up phoning Liz at home and tearing a strip off her for telling Debra to tell him off.
- 2013, Lorraine Bateman, Paul Cole, Blue Days and Fair, page 211,
- No doubt Mother tore a strip off him last night. She will never forgive him for turning away a suitor.
- 1952, New Zealand Parliament, Parliamentary Debates, Volume 295, page 116,
Synonyms
- (scold vigorously): excoriate, give someone a dressing-down, haul or rake someone over the coals, read someone the riot act, tell someone off
Translations
scold vigorously
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