# dress down

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/dress-down
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

To scold.

## Examples

- The boss had to dress down the employee for being late.
- After the team failed to meet the deadline, the manager called a meeting to dress down everyone involved in the project.
- The stern headmaster summoned the student to his office to dress him down for his repeated lack of discipline in the classroom.

## Origin

From analogy with dress up.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.