# give someone hell

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/give-someone-hell
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

To castigate someone; to dress them down.

## Examples

- My boss gave me hell for being late again.
- When the team missed the deadline, the manager gave them hell during the morning meeting.
- The strict professor gave the students hell for their lack of preparation before the final examination.

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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.