give someone the rough side of your tongue

give (someone) the rough side of (one's) tongue

To give someone severe criticism or a stern reprimand. I thought my project was fine, but did you hear Ms. Miller's critique? Boy, she gave me the rough side of her tongue after class! I know you want to give them the rough side of your tongue at times, but you need to show some restraint or you're going to lose their respect. The boss is gonna give me the rough side of his tongue when he finds out that the printing error was my fault.

See also: give, of, rough, side, tongue

Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.

give someone the rough side of your tongue

or

give someone the rough edge of your tongue

BRITISH, OLD-FASHIONED

If you give someone the rough side of your tongue or the rough edge of your tongue, you speak angrily to them about something that they have done wrong. He's really going to give the boy the rough side of his tongue. Note: You can also say that someone gets the rough side or edge of your tongue or feels the rough side or edge of your tongue. As Archer watched the others walk away, he knew he was going to get the rough edge of his father's tongue. They felt the rough edge of their captain's tongue when things went wrong.

See also: give, of, rough, side, someone, tongue

Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed. © HarperCollins Publishers 2012