dish out

dish something out 

1. Lit. to serve up food to people. I'll dish it out, and you take it to the table. Careful how you dish out the mashed potatoes. There may not be enough.

2. Fig. to distribute information, news, etc. The press secretaries were dishing reports out as fast as they could write them. The company dishes out propaganda on a regular basis.

3. Fig. to give out trouble, scoldings, criticism, etc. The boss was dishing criticism out this morning, and I really got it. The teacher dished out a scolding to each one who was involved in the prank.

See also: dish, out

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dish out something

to give something too freely and in large amounts The mayor was famous for dishing out political favors to his pals.

Usage notes: often it is criticism or unfriendly remarks that are dished out: She dished out insults as easily as some of us dish out praise. sometimes appears as the full expression you can dish it out but you can't take it (you can give criticism freely but you cannot deal with it yourself): I try not to argue with him because I know he can dish it out but he can't take it.

Related vocabulary: dish the dirt (on somebody/something)

Etymology: based on the literal meaning of dish out food (to serve food)

See also: dish, out