Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
to have someone's hide

to have someone's hide

7.9
To punish or scold someone strongly for making a mistake
  • idiom
  • Informal
translation icon : dar una reprimenda a alguien
  • She'll have my hide.

Examples

Synonyms

to punish
vsto have someone's hide
821 1.0

Make someone suffer for doing something wrong

includes harsh speech as well as suffering, not only formal penalty
to teach someone a lesson
vsto have someone's hide
  • Informal
139 4.2

Punish someone so they learn not to do it again

is severe scolding that may not aim primarily to teach a lesson
to scold
vsto have someone's hide
55 2.2

Speak angrily to someone who has done something wrong

includes that severe speech but also covers actual punishment
to let him have it
vsto have someone's hide
  • Informal
44 8.1

To tell someone angrily that they did something wrong

focuses on severe punishment or scolding rather than just disapproval
to give someone hell
vsto have someone's hide
  • Informal
37 8.1

To scold someone very strongly for something they did

covers harsh reprimand too but may be less emotional
to let someone have it
vsto have someone's hide
  • Informal
11 8.1

To angrily tell someone off

expresses severe reprimand but may lack the same forceful tone
to give someone what for
vsto have someone's hide
  • Informal
1 8.7

Tell someone angrily that they did something wrong

is similar but can also mean punishment rather than only shouting
to read the riot act
vsto have someone's hide
  • Informal
1 7.9

To scold someone strongly and warn them of punishment

is severe scolding but without the explicit warning or formal threat
to have someone's head
vsto have someone's hide
  • Informal
1 9.1

To be very angry with someone and want to punish them

is about severe scolding or punishment without emphasizing personal anger
to haul over the coals
vsto have someone's hide
  • Informal
1 8.6

To scold someone very strongly for a mistake

means severe scolding too but sometimes implies lengthy criticism
to chap someone's hide
vsto have someone's hide
  • Informal
9.3

To scold someone angrily for something they did

is severe scolding without necessarily showing angry irritation
to tan someone's hide
vsto have someone's hide
  • Archaic
9.5

To punish someone very harshly, often by hitting or scolding them

involves severe reprimand but does not imply physical action
to hand you your head
vsto have someone's hide
  • UK
9.9

Scold someone very strongly, often in front of others

means harsh punishment or scolding but can be milder in tone

Antonyms

to forgive
∞ 1.4

To stop feeling angry at someone or yourself for a mistake

to excuse
384 2.2

Forgive a fault or bad behaviour

How Harsh

to have someone's hide
  • Informal
7.9
to punish
821 1.0
to scold
55 2.2
to tell off
  • Informal
13 4.2
to reprimand
  • Formal
33 6.1

Surface Forms

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

Morphology

have + someone's + hide

The meaning 'to punish or scold someone severely' is not predictably built from 'have' + a possessive + 'hide' (literal animal skin); a B1 learner who knows the words would likely interpret it literally or be confused. This is an idiomatic metaphorical use (skin/hide as target of punishment) that is language-specific and not compositionally transparent, so prior exposure is needed.

Etymology

The idiom have someone's hide may come from a time when hide meant 'animal skin'. If someone 'had' another person's hide it showed power to punish them, so have someone's hide now means 'punish or scold' someone severely.