# what for

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/what-for
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

An unspecified punishment or rebuke.

## Examples

- You'll get what for if you're late again.
- The teacher gave him what for when she found out he had copied his essay from the internet.
- Having returned home well past midnight, the young man steeled himself for the what for his father would surely deliver.

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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.