We've found 26 phrases for berate (0.147 seconds):

a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down »    An otherwise unpleasant situation can be pleasant when a pleasant aspect is deliberately introduced.1999, Eli Yassif, The Hebrew Folktale: History, Genre, Meaning, Indiana University Press, ISBN 0253335833, page 372,One is known as the "sweetening parable," that is to say a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down. Thus, when the aim is to preach to the people, to guide them along the "bitter," arduous path of upholding burdensome precepts and prohibitions, a tale can lighten the load, make the "medicine" easier "to swallow."2001, Maureen Reagan, First Father, First Daughter: A Memoir, Little, Brown, ISBN 0316736368, page 319,It put some fun into the tedious business of preparing for a presidential debate. A spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down, right?2004, John Hoover, How to Work for an Idiot: Survive & Thrive... Without Killing Your Boss, Career Press, ISBN 1564147045, page 11,If a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down, a barrel of laughs can wash down the big pills you might need to swallow.

bite someone's head off »    To severely berate someone.

bust chops »    To nag; to berate or hound in an effort to elicit action.

chew somebody out »    To berate; to shout at someone.

cold shoulder »    A deliberate act of disrespect; a slight or snub.

first things first »    Deal with matters of highest priority first; deal with matters in logical sequence.1922, H. G. Wells, The Secret Places of the Heart, ch.4,"First things first," said Sir Richmond. If we set about getting fuel sanely, if we do it as the deliberate, co-operative act of the whole species, then it follows that we shall look very closely into the use that is being made of it.1999, Frank Pellegrini, "House Republicans Quell Mutiny Over Tax Bounty," Time, 23 Jul.,Judging by the polls

get on somebody's case »    To lecture, berate, or complain to somebody, especially to find fault or criticize.

get someone's back up »    To annoy a person either deliberately or inadvertently.

give somebody what-for »    To admonish or berate; to speak angrily at somebody.

hem and haw »    To discuss, deliberate, or contemplate rather than taking action.

in cold blood »    In a ruthless and unfeeling manner; premeditated and deliberate.

make a virtue of necessity »    To make the best of a difficult situation; to recast or portray an action or situation in which one has no alternatives as an action or situation which was deliberately chosen on its merits.

mull over »    To think deeply about something; to ponder, deliberate or ruminate.

mutton dressed as lamb »    A mature woman dressed in a style more suited to a young woman, especially if a deliberate attempt to appear young.

on purpose »    Purposefully; with intention; deliberately.

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