English Explanatory Dictionary

have someone's guts for garters

English dictionary entry

Meanings

verb
  1. To reprimand severely.

Pronunciation

en-au-have someone's guts for garters.ogg

Word forms

have someone's guts for garters has someone's guts for garters having someone's guts for garters had someone's guts for garters

Etymology

By metaphor from the way that humans use animal intestines as catgut for various tensile applications; compare have someone's hide.

Synonyms

have someone's head give someone what for nail someone to the wall amerce castigate chasten chastise come down on correct fix someone's wagon have someone's guts for garters have someone's hide give it to someone give what for gruel malavogue penalize penance punish tan someone's hide tar out teach someone a lesson
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