give someone an earful

verb

To scold someone loudly.

“I should never have tried to grind the computer system to a halt. Firstly I got sacked, and then my boss gave me a right earful.”

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Meanings

verbgive someone an earful (third-person singular simple present gives someone an earful, present participle giving someone an earful, simple past gave someone an earful, past participle given someone an earful)

present singular third person gives someone an earful · participle present giving someone an earful · past gave someone an earful · participle past given someone an earful

  1. idiomaticinformalTo scold someone loudly.

    I should never have tried to grind the computer system to a halt. Firstly I got sacked, and then my boss gave me a right earful.

Translations

German jemanden zur Sau machen, zusammenscheißen
  • jemanden zur Sau machento scold someone loudly
  • zusammenscheißento scold someone loudly
  • zusammenstauchento scold someone loudly
  • zusammenschimpfento scold someone loudly
  • ausscheltento scold someone loudly
Māori kaikai i ana/ōna taringa
  • kaikai i ana/ōna taringato scold someone loudly
Cite this entry
APA

give someone an earful. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/give%20someone%20an%20earful

MLA

“give someone an earful.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/give%20someone%20an%20earful. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “give someone an earful,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/give%20someone%20an%20earful.

Source: give someone an earful on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.