hauling someone over the coals

A form of haul someone over the coals — To express anger with someone in no uncertain terms when they do something wrong.

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Meanings

verb
  1. gerundparticiplepresentpresent participle and gerund of haul someone over the coals
Cite this entry
APA

hauling someone over the coals. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/hauling%20someone%20over%20the%20coals

MLA

“hauling someone over the coals.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/hauling%20someone%20over%20the%20coals. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “hauling someone over the coals,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/hauling%20someone%20over%20the%20coals.

Source: hauling someone over the coals on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.