sock it to

Idioms and Phrases

Deliver a physical blow, forceful comment, or reprimand to, as in The judge often socks it to the jury in a murder case . This idiom uses sock in the sense of “strike hard.” It is also put as an imperative, as in Sock it to them, kid! or Sock it to me! , which is sometimes used to give encouragement but can also have sexual overtones. [Second half of 1800s]

Related Words

• contend
• disagree
• dispute
• quarrel
• quibble
• squabble