haul someone over the coals

(Redirected from haul over the coals)

English edit

Etymology edit

In reference to a punishment once meted out to heretics.

Pronunciation edit

  • (file)

Verb edit

haul someone over the coals (third-person singular simple present hauls someone over the coals, present participle hauling someone over the coals, simple past and past participle hauled someone over the coals)

  1. (chiefly UK, idiomatic) To express anger with someone in no uncertain terms when they do something wrong.
    The teacher hauled him over the coals for not doing his homework.

Synonyms edit