[Idiom] RAKE OVER THE COALS. - Explore Expressions for Harsh Criticism
Rake over the coals.
/ˈreɪk ˈoʊvər ðə koʊlz/
Severely criticize or scold someone.
To "rake someone over the coals" means to criticize them severely or scold them harshly. Historically related to the medieval torture of making someone walk over hot coals, the phrase now emphasizes a verbal rebuke that is equally intense and painful.
Example Sentences
His boss raked him over the coals for missing the deadline.
The superior critically reprimanded the employee for failing to meet the strict deadline.
She got raked over the coals for the budget mistakes.
She was intensely criticized for making errors in the financial plan.
After the project failed, the team was raked over the coals by upper management.
The higher management severely criticized the whole team because their project did not succeed.