come down on someone like a ton of bricks

come down on (one) like a ton of bricks

slang To punish someone swiftly and harshly. Mom will come down on you like a ton of bricks if you come home past curfew again. When I was caught cheating on a test, the principal came down on me like a ton of bricks. I know I didn't do well on the exam, but I didn't expect my dad to come down on me like a ton of bricks—he grounded me for a month!

See also: brick, come, down, like, of, on, ton

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

come down on someone like a ton of bricks

If you come down on someone like a ton of bricks, you punish them very severely. If you do something awful they all come down on you like a ton of bricks. The committee will come down like a ton of bricks on any company that deceives its customers. Note: You can also say that someone will be down on you like a ton of bricks. If I owed them any money, they'd be down on me like a ton of bricks.

See also: brick, come, down, like, of, on, someone, ton

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