tear a strip off someone

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tear a strip off someone (third-person singular simple present tears a strip off someone, present participle tearing a strip off someone, simple past tore a strip off someone, past participle torn a strip off someone)

  1. (slang) To scold vigorously.
    • 1952, New Zealand Parliament, Parliamentary Debates[1], volume 295, page 116:
      Last night the honourable member for Miramar was going to tear a strip off the Minister of Works; [] .
    • 2012, Kimberley Rose Dawson, Carousel: The Relapse: Spinning Out of Control[2], page 260:
      But before Debra went out the door behind her she proceeded to tear a strip off both Miguel and Anna Maria.
      Miguel ended up phoning Liz at home and tearing a strip off her for telling Debra to tell him off.
    • 2013, Lorraine Bateman, Paul Cole, Blue Days and Fair, page 211:
      No doubt Mother tore a strip off him last night. She will never forgive him for turning away a suitor.

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