to give someone what for
1
8.7
- idiom
- Informal
:
reprender
- And if I see you here again... I'll give you what for!
Examples
-
I'll give you what for, you tyke!
-
I remember you giving him what for.
-
You gave us all what for.
-
" But I held my ground, and I gave her what for.
Fiction book (2000) -
By God, let's give 'em what for.
-
"This teacher does that to me, and I'll give him what for!" The woman laughed as she and her daughter passed into the building.
Fiction book (1995) -
Doesn't it make you want to march right in there and give them what for?
Fiction book (1995) -
Now, if that ain't worth half a crown now and again, I'll take my belt off and give her what for.
-
When he wrongly accused me, I was ready to give him what for in front of everyone.
-
If you continue to misbehave, I will give you what for like your mother did.
Synonyms
139
4.2
Punish someone so they learn not to do it again
65
7.7
To scold or punish someone to improve their behavior
55
2.2
Speak angrily to someone who has done something wrong
44
8.1
To tell someone angrily that they did something wrong
37
8.1
To scold someone very strongly for something they did
36
7.2
Scold someone angrily and severely
33
7.6
To scold someone strongly for doing something wrong
33
6.1
To tell someone they did something wrong, usually by a person in charge
26
6.9
To tell someone firmly that you do not approve of their actions
18
6.3
To scold someone strongly for a mistake
13
4.2
To speak angrily to someone for doing something wrong
13
7.0
Scold someone angrily in front of others
12
8.2
To criticize someone very strongly and angrily
11
8.1
To angrily tell someone off
5
8.3
Tell someone angrily that they did something wrong
4
7.9
Scold someone very strongly for a mistake
3
8.8
To scold someone strongly for something they did wrong
2
9.9
To scold someone angrily
1
8.1
To scold or punish someone angrily for something they did wrong
1
7.9
To scold someone strongly and warn them of punishment
1
8.6
To scold someone very strongly for a mistake
1
6.8
Tell someone angrily that they did something wrong
Angrily tell someone they did something wrong
To scold someone angrily for something they did
Tell someone angrily that you are upset with them
To yell at or threaten someone to make them try harder
Scold someone very strongly, often in front of others
To scold someone strongly for doing something wrong
To tell someone they behaved badly in a serious way
To angrily tell someone they did something wrong, often in front of others
Antonyms
How Severe
36
7.2
- Informal
1
8.7
- Informal
13
4.2
55
2.2
22
7.0
Surface Forms
Morphology
give + someone + what + for
The meaning 'to scold or reprimand' cannot be predicted from the literal meanings of 'give', 'someone', 'what', and 'for' — 'what for' normally asks for a reason, so the phrase's meaning is figurative and idiomatic. This colloquial construction is not compositionally transparent and would likely be opaque to a B1 learner who had not encountered it before.
Etymology
Give someone what for likely comes from an older use of what for meaning a reason or a deserved punishment. Imagine someone being handed the clear reasons for their mistake and a strong telling off — that's why the phrase means 'to scold' or 'to punish' today.