Synonyms/Hypernyms (Ordered by Estimated Frequency) of verb tell_off

1 sense of tell off

Sense 1
tell off, brush down -- (reprimand; "She told the misbehaving student off")
       => call on the carpet, take to task, rebuke, rag, trounce, reproof, lecture, reprimand, jaw, dress down, call down, scold, chide, berate, bawl out, remonstrate, chew out, chew up, have words, lambaste, lambast -- (censure severely or angrily; "The mother scolded the child for entering a stranger's car"; "The deputy ragged the Prime Minister"; "The customer dressed down the waiter for bringing cold soup")