Synonyms: call down, call on the carpet, chew out, chew up, chide, remonstrate, reprimand, reproof, rag, rebuke, scold, dress down, take to task, trounce, have words, lambast, lambaste, lecture, jaw, berate, bawl out
Definition: censure severely or angrily
Usage: The mother scolded the child for entering a stranger's car; The deputy ragged the Prime Minister; The customer dressed down the waiter for bringing cold soup
Similar words: criticise, criticize, pick apart, knock
Definition: find fault with; express criticism of; point out real or perceived flaws
Usage: The paper criticized the new movie; Don't knock the food--it's free
Synonyms: trounce, crush, vanquish, shell, beat, beat out
Definition: come out better in a competition, race, or conflict
Usage: Agassi beat Becker in the tennis championship; We beat the competition; Harvard defeated Yale in the last football game
Similar words: overcome, defeat, get the better of
Definition: win a victory over
Usage: You must overcome all difficulties; defeat your enemies; He overcame his shyness; He overcame his infirmity; Her anger got the better of her and she blew up
Synonyms: slash, welt, whip, lash, lather, strap, trounce, flog
Definition: beat severely with a whip or rod
Usage: The teacher often flogged the students; The children were severely trounced
Similar words: work over, beat, beat up
Definition: give a beating to; subject to a beating, either as a punishment or as an act of aggression
Usage: Thugs beat him up when he walked down the street late at night; The teacher used to beat the students