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Glite Dictionary
to have someone's head

to have someone's head

11 9.1
To be very angry with someone and want to punish them
  • idiom
  • Informal
: tener la cabeza de alguien
  • And then I shall have your head.

Examples

Synonyms

to let someone have it
vsto have someone's head
  • Informal
58 8.1

To angrily tell someone off

expresses the same intense anger or punishment in informal use
to stick it to
vsto have someone's head
  • Informal
38 8.6

Punish or hurt someone to get revenge

focuses on strong anger or severe reprimand rather than revenge motives
to give someone hell
vsto have someone's head
  • Informal
35 8.1

To scold someone very strongly for something they did

is about being very angry or severely punishing someone
to rip someone's head off
vsto have someone's head
  • Offensive
22 8.5

Shout at someone in a very angry way and threaten them

focuses more broadly on strong anger or severe reprimand
to tear someone a new one
vsto have someone's head
  • Offensive
4 9.8

To scold someone very harshly

means being very angry or punishing intensely rather than mild criticism
to have someone's hide
vsto have someone's head
  • Informal
3 7.9

To punish or scold someone strongly for making a mistake

covers strong anger or severe punishment in informal speech
to snap someone's head off
vsto have someone's head
  • Offensive
1 8.0

To speak to someone in a sudden angry way without good reason

is about strong anger or severe punishment with intent rather than sudden reply
to eat someone's head off
vsto have someone's head
  • Informal
1 9.1

To speak angrily to someone and criticize them

is similar but can also include severe punishment rather than only shouting
to let him have it
vsto have someone's head
  • Informal
1 8.1

To tell someone angrily that they did something wrong

is used for strong anger or severe punishment in informal contexts
to hand you your head
vsto have someone's head
  • UK
9.9

Scold someone very strongly, often in front of others

is about strong anger or severe punishment generally
to give (someone) a piece of one's mind
vsto have someone's head
  • Informal
7.5

Tell someone angrily that you are upset with them

is about being very angry or imposing severe punishment rather than just speaking out

Antonyms

to forgive
∞ 1.4

To stop feeling angry at someone or yourself for a mistake

to pardon
275 3.0

To forgive someone for a small mistake or rude act

How Angry

to have someone's head
  • Informal
11 9.1
anger
∞ 1.0
annoyed
143 1.0

Surface Forms

have someone's head infinitive
had someone's head past
had someone's head past participle
having someone's head present participle
has someone's head third person singular

Morphology

have + someone's + head

The literal senses of 'have' + 'someone's' + 'head' (to possess a person's head) do not transparently yield the sense 'be very angry with or punish severely'; the phrase is idiomatic and historically metaphorical (threat of taking someone's head or seeking their removal). A B1 learner who knows the component words would not reliably infer this intended meaning without prior exposure.

Etymology

The idiom have someone's head may come from old times when rulers punished people by taking their head, a strong image of serious punishment. So today saying someone will have your head means they will be 'very angry' with you or 'punish you severely'.