to give someone hell
37
8.1
- idiom
- Informal
:
regañar a alguien
- "My husband will give me hell coming home this late," the woman said as they turned the corner.
- give me hell
- give me holy hell
Examples
-
But the kids at her high school give her hell for that.
Blog text (17) -
When I gotta get up and say my project flopped, Mary Anne and Arnie are gonna give me hell.
Fiction book (1999) -
But he gives you hell, huh?
-
" It's not that she never gave him hell for it."
Fiction book (1994) -
Obama needs to give 'em hell and win the debate.
Blog text (13) -
You give me hell, Emily dearest, whenever I bring up marriage again, but I swear I worry about you.
Fiction book (1993) -
If he's late, the boss'll give him hell.
Fiction book (2002) -
Give them hell, baby.
-
The worst was when a veteran of World War II and Korea, whom I've known for years, came forward and gave me hell, calling me disgusting, disrespectful, and unworthy of my position.
Academic text (2005) -
I knew they were going to give me hell for not finishing my project on time.
Synonyms
821
1.0
Make someone suffer for doing something wrong
90
3.9
Make someone feel bad by criticizing or teasing them
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
5.9
To criticize someone strongly
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
32
8.0
To criticize someone or something very harshly, often in public
26
6.9
To tell someone firmly that you do not approve of their actions
15
7.3
To severely criticize someone or something
14
8.8
To criticize or punish someone very harshly
12
8.2
To criticize someone very strongly and angrily
11
8.1
To angrily tell someone off
9
9.8
To criticize someone or something very harshly in public
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
8.7
Tell someone angrily that they did something wrong
1
8.1
To criticize someone or something very harshly
1
9.9
To scold someone strongly for doing something wrong
1
8.6
To scold someone very strongly for a mistake
To scold someone strongly for doing something wrong
To criticize someone angrily using harsh words
Scold someone very strongly, often in front of others
To angrily tell someone they did something wrong, often in front of others
To yell at or threaten someone to make them try harder
Tell someone angrily that you are upset with them
Antonyms
How Harsh
- NSFW
107
7.2
821
1.0
- Informal
37
8.1
- Formal
33
6.1
55
2.2
701
3.3
Surface Forms
Morphology
The constituents 'give' (to cause or inflict) and 'hell' (intense suffering) make it partially inferable that the phrase means to cause someone severe trouble or suffering, so a learner could guess a harsh treatment sense. However, the usage is colloquial and metaphorical—the specific sense of angrily scolding or punishing someone is not fully predictable from the parts alone, so it is best classified as semi-transparent.
Etymology
Give someone hell may come from the picture of giving someone hell, making them feel like they are in a hot place of punishment. That's why it now means 'to scold or punish someone very harshly'.