bark out at

bark (something) out at (someone)

To say or shout something to someone in a harsh, brusque or angry tone. He started barking orders out at us as if he were our boss or something. I'm sorry for barking out my instructions at you earlier. I'll try repeating them in a calmer voice. I was so annoyed after that meeting that I had to go into Piper's office and bark my frustrations out at a neutral party.

See also: bark, out

bark at (someone or something)

1. Literally, of a dog, to make a barking noise at someone or something. The dog is barking at something outside—can you please calm him down? Without fail, every time I open our front door, the neighbor's dog starts barking at me. Aha, it seems that Rover is barking at the neighbor's cat. Let me see if I can shoo it out of our yard.

2. To yell at or speak severely to another person. The science teacher barked at us for not doing our homework. Aw man, if I'm late again, the boss is definitely going to bark at me about it. I heard Mom and Dad barking at you about your grades earlier. Sorry, bro.

3. To say or shout something to someone in a harsh, brusque or angry tone. In this usage, a noun or pronoun is used between "bark" and "at." He started barking orders at us as if he were our boss or something. I'm sorry for barking at you earlier. I'll try repeating the instructions in a calmer voice. I know that meeting was totally unnecessary, but don't bark at me—I'm not the one who arranged it!

See also: bark

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

bark something out at someone

 and bark something at someone; bark something to someone; bark something out (to someone)

Fig. to say something harshly to someone. The sergeant barked the orders out at the recruits. He barked an order at his staff. The teacher barked a reprimand out to the class. He barked out the order clearly and loudly.

See also: bark, out

McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.