v. 1 scold, reproach, admonish, reprove, reprimand, lecture, censure, chide, reprehend, berate, castigate, criticize, take to task, upbraid, revile, Colloq dress down, bawl out, give (someone) a piece of one's mind, haul (someone) over the coals, let (someone) have it, give (someone) hell or what for, tell (someone) off, tell (someone) where to get off, Brit carpet, tear (someone) off a strip, tick (someone) off, wig, blow (someone) up, give (someone) a wigging, US and Canadian rake (someone) over the coals, give (someone) the business, chew out The headmaster severely rebuked those boys who had violated the school curfew
n. 2 scolding, reproach, admonition, reproof, reprimand, lecture, censure, chiding, reprehension, berating, castigation, criticism, upbraiding, revilement, tongue-lashing, Colloq dressing-down, what for, Brit wigging, blow-up or blowing up, Slang hell Rawlings was let off with nothing more than a rebuke