to tear someone a new one
4
9.8
- idiom
- /tɛr ˈsʌmˌwʌn ə nu ˈwʌn/
- Offensive
- When I showed up late, my professor tore me a new one for my lack of respect.
- gonna tear you a new one
Examples
-
What, you're not gonna tear him a new one?
-
So we should go back to his flat and tear him a new one, that lanky streak of piss.
-
I can't believe the coach is going to tear us a new one after that loss.
-
If you keep missing deadlines, your boss will tear you a new one during the meeting.
Synonyms
232
4.4
To hit something with a long thin object or move it quickly and forcefully
78
5.6
Suddenly say angry things about someone by speaking or writing
58
8.1
To angrily tell someone off
54
2.2
Speak angrily to someone who has done something wrong
36
7.2
Scold someone angrily and severely
35
8.1
To scold someone very strongly for something they did
25
6.9
To tell someone firmly that you do not approve of their actions
25
7.0
Scold someone angrily in front of others
23
7.5
Tell someone angrily that you are unhappy with them
23
8.2
To say angry, insulting things about someone or something
22
8.5
Shout at someone in a very angry way and threaten them
13
5.6
To criticize someone or something harshly
13
6.9
Tear something into many pieces or say very bad things about it
11
8.2
To criticize someone very strongly and angrily
8
6.7
Shout loudly at someone because they did something wrong
6
7.9
Scold someone very strongly for a mistake
5
7.4
To attack or criticize someone strongly
5
8.7
Tell someone angrily that they did something wrong
4
7.4
To attack someone with strong angry words
3
8.0
To criticize someone or something very strongly in public
3
8.8
To scold someone strongly for something they did wrong
3
7.3
To severely criticize someone or something
1
6.8
Tell someone angrily that they did something wrong
1
8.1
To attack someone with very strong words
1
9.9
To scold someone angrily
1
9.3
To scold someone angrily for something they did
1
8.5
Criticize or attack someone strongly
1
8.0
To speak to someone in a sudden angry way without good reason
1
9.1
To speak angrily to someone and criticize them
1
8.9
Attack someone with strong words in public
1
9.9
To criticize someone angrily using harsh words
1
8.1
To tell someone angrily that they did something wrong
To attack someone harshly with words, often in writing
To attack someone with angry words
Tell someone angrily that you are upset with them
Antonyms
How Harsh
- Offensive
4
9.8
3
8.0
54
2.2
- Formal
33
6.1
653
3.3
Surface Forms
Morphology
tear + someone + a + new + one
The meaning 'to scold someone very harshly' is not derivable from the literal senses of 'tear' (to rip) + 'a new one' (a replacement); the phrase is an idiomatic, coarse metaphor whose imagery does not map transparently onto reprimanding. This is a language-specific idiom with a strong colloquial/vulgar register, so a B1 learner who knows the individual words would not reliably infer the intended meaning.
Etymology
Tear someone a new one comes from the strong image of tear and a new one: making a fresh hole in something, like ripping a shirt or cutting a new hole in a belt, to show serious damage. So it means 'to scold or criticize someone very harshly'.