tongue-lashing
noun [in singular]
A loud or severe scolding: the incensed boss gave him a tongue-lashing...
- On Thursday, the coach's 10 o'clock training session was delayed by an hour as he gave his men a severe tongue-lashing about their behaviour the previous evening.
- If the agreement is broken, the miscreant can expect a severe tongue-lashing from the other riders.
- I had to bite my tongue not to give him a tongue-lashing.
