take to task

Idioms and Phrases

Upbraid, scold; blame or censure. For example, The teacher took Doris to task for turning in such a sloppy report . This term, dating from the mid-1700s, at first meant either assigning or challenging someone to a task. Its current sense dates from the late 1800s.

Related Words

• accuse
• blame
• boycott
• brand
• castigate
• censure
• criticize
• decry
• excoriate
• prosecute
• rebuke
• revile
• scold
• threaten
• vilify