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Glite Dictionary
to open a can of whoop ass

to open a can of whoop ass

1 9.9
To attack or punish someone suddenly and violently, often for something they did
  • idiom
  • Offensive
translation icon : darle una paliza a alguien (vulgar)
  • After the team’s poor performance, the captain decided to open a can of whoop ass during the next practice.

Examples

  • When his teammate made a mistake, the coach opened a can of whoop ass, shouting out harsh criticism.

  • You okay?He tried to open a can of whoop-ass.

    The Waterboy (1998)

  • Let's open a can of whoop-ass.

    Wild Child (2008)

  • Next Friday, August 29th, Baton Rouge Exposition Center, I'm gonna open a can of whoop-ass on Herculon.

    The Waterboy (1998)

  • She promised to open a can of whoop ass on anyone who dared to cheat in the competition.

Synonyms

to lash out
vsto open a can of whoop ass
71 5.6

Suddenly say angry things about someone by speaking or writing

is similarly sudden but can be physical as well as verbal
to kick someone's ass
vsto open a can of whoop ass
  • Offensive
45 9.0

To beat or punish someone very badly

is broader, applying to sudden punishment or sharp verbal criticism
to whoop
vsto open a can of whoop ass
  • Slang
32 4.2

To beat someone easily in a game or contest

is more violent or angry and includes personal punishment or criticism
to whoop ass
vsto open a can of whoop ass
  • Offensive
16 9.9

To beat someone very badly in a fight or competition

includes that decisive force but also sudden harsh criticism
to assail
vsto open a can of whoop ass
  • Formal
16 8.0

To attack violently, upset someone deeply or criticize them strongly

covers sudden vigorous response that may be punishment or criticism
to beat someone's ass
vsto open a can of whoop ass
  • Offensive
1 9.9

To defeat someone completely, often physically or in a game, used in rude speech

adds that sudden punitive or critical reaction beyond only winning
to beat the poop out of
vsto open a can of whoop ass
  • Offensive
9.6

Hit someone many times so they become badly hurt

can be similar in violence but also covers sharp verbal attacks
to light someone's ass up
vsto open a can of whoop ass
  • Offensive
9.9

To angrily tell someone they did something wrong, often in front of others

is similar but may also involve immediate physical punishment
to snap someone's head off
vsto open a can of whoop ass
  • Offensive
8.0

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

is often intentional and can include physical harshness as punishment
to put one's foot in someone's ass
vsto open a can of whoop ass
  • Offensive
9.9

To yell at or threaten someone to make them try harder

leans more toward sudden punishment or criticism rather than motivation
to chap someone's hide
vsto open a can of whoop ass
  • Informal
9.3

To scold someone angrily for something they did

is more sudden and can include physical punishment as well as scolding

Antonyms

to turn the other cheek
20 6.7

Choose not to fight back after someone hurts or insults you

How Aggressive

to attack
∞ 1.3
to open a can of whoop ass
  • Offensive
1 9.9
to punish
821 1.0
to scold
55 2.2
to warn
∞ 1.0

Surface Forms

open a can of whoop ass infinitive
opened a can of whoop ass past
opened a can of whoop ass past participle
opening a can of whoop ass present participle
opens a can of whoop ass third person singular

Morphology

open + a + can + of + whoop + ass

The expression combines the fairly transparent metaphor 'open a can of' (i.e., release/unleash) with the slang idiom 'whoop ass' (to beat or severely punish someone), so a learner who knows the literal words could plausibly infer a meaning of unleashing violent or vigorous punishment. However, 'whoop ass' is a vulgar, idiomatic collocation and the exact pragmatic force and register are not predictable from the parts alone, making it only partially transparent to a B1 learner.

Etymology

The phrase open a can of whoop ass creates a clear picture of someone opening a can and letting out whoop ass, an informal word for 'a beating'. So, it now means to attack or punish someone suddenly and strongly.