# have someone's guts for garters

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/have-someones-guts-for-garters
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

To reprimand severely.

## Examples

- If you break that vase, your mother will have your guts for garters.
- The chef has my guts for garters when I burn the sauce.
- She has his guts for garters because he lost the car keys.
- The manager warned the team that he would have their guts for garters if they missed the deadline again.
- My landlord will have my guts for garters if I keep making this much noise late at night.
- You should finish your chores before your father gets home, or he will have your guts for garters.
- The stern headmaster promised to have the students' guts for garters should he discover who had vandalized the school library during the night.

## Origin

The expression emerges from the metaphoric application of animal intestines, known as catgut, which are utilised for various tensile purposes. It functions as a graphic threat of corporal disassembly, suggesting the victim’s internal organs might serve as a convenient substitute for hosiery fastenings. The formation parallels the similar idiom to have someone’s hide.

---

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.