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Chew someone out

Chew someone out

Meaning

Verbally scold someone.

Examples

Little Jimmy ran out right in front of that car. His mother really chewed him out for that.

Where did it originate?

USA, mid 20th century.

Where is it used?

Quite widely used but more so in the USA than elsewhere.

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About the Author

Gary Martin is a writer and researcher on the origins of phrases and the creator of the Phrase Finder website. Over the past 26 years more than 700 million of his pages have been downloaded by readers. He is one of the most popular and trusted sources of information on phrases and idioms.

Gary Martin

Writer and researcher on the origins of phrases and the creator of the Phrase Finder website. Over the past 26 years more than 700 million of his pages have been downloaded by readers. He is one of the most popular and trusted sources of information on phrases and idioms.
Chew someone out

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