tell off

British  

verb

1. informal to reprimand; scold

   they told me off for stealing apples

2. to count and dismiss

   he told off four more soldiers

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tell off Idioms  

1. Rebuke severely, reprimand, as in It's time someone told her off about her behavior. There is also a synonymous expression, tell someone where to get off, as in When he called back a third time, I told him where to get off. [Colloquial; early 1900s] Also see get off, def. 7.

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Other Word Forms

• telling off
  noun

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

tell off

Halfway through the song, it’s Cardi B’s turn to tell off critics — and she gets a little help from Taraji P. Henson.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 28, 2023

But I can’t tell off someone else’s kids.

From Slate ● Jan. 11, 2021

When it comes to failing to self-isolate or practise social distancing, surely everyone feels free to tell off members of their family.

From The Guardian ● Mar. 23, 2020

Maria Isabella does get to tell off the male members of her royal court.

From Washington Post ● Nov. 27, 2018

The tapping grows insistent, and I turn, intending to tell off the Cadet.

From "An Ember in the Ashes" by Sabaa Tahir