hairdryer treatment

British

noun

informal (esp in sport) the practice of shouting at someone at close quarters in order to express one's displeasure at something he or she has done

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of hairdryer treatment

C21: from the supposed similarity between this experience and having a hot hairdryer too close to one's head

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

He said the so-called "hairdryer treatment" - where managers shout at players angrily in the dressing room or on the pitch - is not quite so effective these days.

From BBC • Mar. 10, 2024

Ms Sridhar later tweeted that she was "completely aligned" with the Scottish government's approach, prompting Conservative MSP Ruth Davidson to suggest the advisor had "got the hairdryer treatment over the phone".

From BBC • Jun. 17, 2020

Ferguson was famous for giving players the "hairdryer treatment" but admitted he got calmer as he got older.

From BBC • Sep. 22, 2015

Facing him across the dispatch box must be like having Sir Alex Ferguson give you the hairdryer treatment at a range of two inches.

From The Guardian • May 14, 2013

However, Ferguson also discussed the need for controlled discipline and respect, alluding to his famous "hairdryer treatment" technique.

From The Guardian • Dec. 19, 2012

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023