rake over old coals

verb

To bring back old problems; to dig up old trouble.

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Meanings

verbrake over old coals (third-person singular simple present rakes over old coals, present participle raking over old coals, simple past and past participle raked over old coals)

present singular third person rakes over old coals · participle present raking over old coals · participle past raked over old coals · past raked over old coals

  1. UKfigurativelyTo bring back old problems; to dig up old trouble.
Cite this entry
APA

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

MLA

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

Chicago

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

Source: rake over old coals on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.