What does dressing-down mean?
Dressing-down means (idiomatic) A reprimand or rarely, a thrashing..
Dressing-down
Pronunciation varies by accent · noun
Meaning
(idiomatic) A reprimand or rarely, a thrashing..
Example Sentences
"I'll give him a dressing down, see if I don't." Mrs. Mudge's eyes snapped viciously, and she clutched the relics of the broom with a degree of energy which rendered it uncertain what sort of a dressing down she intended for her husband.
When the blacksmith saw what Babo had done to his mother, he caught him by the collar, and fell to giving him such a dressing down as never man had before.
"We must all bow to you, and try to get a favorable word, must we? This man shall have a leg up, and this man shall have a dressing down!"
Just ask Gen. Yevgeny I. Ignatov, a former mayor of Torzhok, who stepped down two years ago after a dressing-down from the regional governor.
Synonyms for dressing-down
Antonyms for dressing-down
Related Words
Word Forms
- dressing-downs
- dressings-down
- dressing down
Usage Notes
Choose a synonym only when it preserves the intended meaning, tone, and grammar of the full sentence.
Practice and Learn More
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a synonym for dressing-down?
Common synonyms include handbagging, stricture, hiding, going over.
What is the opposite of dressing-down?
The opposite depends on the specific sense.
How do you use dressing-down in a sentence?
"I'll give him a dressing down, see if I don't." Mrs. Mudge's eyes snapped viciously, and she clutched the relics of the broom with a degree of energy which rendered it uncertain what sort of a dressing down she intended for her husband.
Sources & Attribution
FreeDictionaryAPI.com / Wiktionary · Original source · CC BY-SA 4.0
Dictionary data is provided by FreeDictionaryAPI.com and sourced from Wiktionary under its stated license.