rfc|Are the 2 senses given here sufficiently distinct? The example sentence for defn1 would work just fine for defn2 as well. -- User:WikiPedant|WikiPedant? 13:50, 13 September 2007 (UTC)

English
Verb
tell off

1. idiom To speak to someone rudely, disrespectfully or angrily; to berate; to unleash one's fury verbally towards someone.

#:You should have heard her in there, telling off the guy whose fault it was!
#context|UK|idiom To rebuke, reprimand, or admonish.

Synonyms
give somebody a piece of one's mind
give somebody what-for
read somebody the riot act
scold

Translations
trans-top|to speak to somebody rudely, disrespectfully or angrily
Finnish: haukkua, läksyttää
trans-mid
trans-bottom

References
OED

fr:tell off
it:tell off
pt:tell off

• 2007-09-13 13:54 - WikiPedant - integrated "See also" into "Synonyms"

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