give someone an earful
To scold someone loudly.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
“My boss gave me an earful for being late again.”
“When I accidentally broke her favorite vase, my mother gave me an earful about being more careful.”
“After the team lost the championship due to his careless mistake, the coach gave him an earful that echoed throughout the entire locker room.”
- 01
as if someone owns the place
Alternative form of like someone owns the place.
- 02
beat someone round the ears
To beat (a person) with blows about the head.
- 03
bless someone with
To give or bestow, as a gift from God.
- 04
bring someone to their knees
To defeat and make submit to orders.
- 05
call someone every name in the book
To call someone many abusive names.
- 06
call someone everything but a child of God
To call someone many abusive names.
- 07
catch someone napping
To take advantage of someone's inattention.
- 08
cry someone a river
To weep profusely or excessively in the presence of another person.
Last updated August 10, 2026