tear someone off a strip

tear someone off a strip

To scold, upbraid, or rebuke someone very severely, as for an error or wrongdoing. The teacher really tore me off a strip for causing a disruption in class again.

See also: off, someone, strip, tear

tear someone off a strip (or tear a strip off someone)

rebuke someone angrily. informal

This expression was originally RAF slang, first recorded in the 1940s.

See also: off, someone, strip, tear

tear somebody ˈoff a strip

,

tear a ˈstrip off somebody

(British English, informal) criticize somebody because you are angry about something they have said or done: The boss tore all the staff off a strip for using the Internet for personal matters during office hours.

See also: off, somebody, strip, tear