tan someone's hide

English

Etymology

By metaphor from tannery: beating hides (to condition them), tanning them (with dyes and chemicals), and so on.

Pronunciation

• Audio (AU)

  (file)

Verb

tan someone's hide (third-person singular simple present tans someone's hide, present participle tanning someone's hide, simple past and past participle tanned someone's hide)

1. (idiomatic, figurative) To beat or spank someone.
   • 1908, Stewart Edward White, chapter 12, in The Adventures of Bobby Orde:

     "You lying little snipe," he roared. ". . . I've a mind to tan your hide good."

Synonyms

• have someone's hide