talking-to
Americannoun
-
talking-tos
plural
noun
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of talking-to
First recorded in 1875–80
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.
See Examples For:
Later that year, in a blog post on his personal website, Bosworth recounted a talking-to he had once received from Sheryl Sandberg, the company’s then-head of operations, about his overbearing way of communicating.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 25, 2026
But after a serious talking-to from his corner, Catterall aimed to take the front foot and it paid off as he rocked Prograis with a hammering left.
From BBC ● Oct. 26, 2024
Maybe it’s the teacher who needs a talking-to from the vice principal.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 22, 2024
Now banks will get a talking-to from their risk managers and from investors, maybe even at shareholder meetings.
From Scientific American ● Mar. 18, 2023
One weekend both the grocer and I got a good talking-to, and my account came to a crashing end.
From "Bad Boy" by Walter Dean Myers
After a week or so of criticism and talking-tos from his staff, Biden reversed his position.
From Slate ● Jul. 12, 2022
He gave us a couple of stern talking-tos across his seven years.
From BBC ● Jun. 16, 2022
All the stern talking-tos she’d gotten at the orphanage, all the wagging fingers and tight faces...they circled back around her like a whirlwind of shame.
From "Dactyl Hill Squad" by Daniel José Older
Despite repeated questionings and stern talking-tos both at school and at home, she had refused to say anything about what had caused this outburst.
From "Little Fires Everywhere" by Celeste Ng
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
