rake over the coals

Idioms  

1. Also, haul over the coals. Reprimand severely, as in When Dad finds out about the damage to the car, he's sure to rake Peter over the coals, or The coach hauled him over the coals for missing practice. These terms allude to the medieval torture of pulling a heretic over red-hot coals. [Early 1800s]

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Example Sentences

Take “Diana, the Musical,” which I won’t rake over the coals again except to say it was phony from first to last.

From New York Times • Dec. 30, 2021

Said Senator Hart: "I have the greatest difficulty getting it through my noodle why management seems to feel that it isn't cricket to rake over the coals."

From Time Magazine Archive

The trait had so developed in him that whenever he rose to speak, the question ran around, "I wonder who Dan'l 's a-goin' to rake over the coals now."

From The Uncalled A Novel by Dunbar, Paul Laurence

Don Grahame was the son of the leader of the community whom Jones had promised to rake over the coals that night, after the circus.

From Tramping on Life An Autobiographical Narrative by Kemp, Harry

You can know her face a mile off, but yuh never know who she's goin' t' rake over the coals next.

From Chip, of the Flying U by Russell, Charles M.