telling off

noun

A reprimand, reproach, or lecture.

“He's going to get quite a telling off if his dad ever finds out about it.”

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Meanings

verb

alternative telling-off

  1. gerundparticiplepresentpresent participle and gerund of tell off
nountelling off (plural tellings off)

plural tellings off · alternative telling-off

  1. informalA reprimand, reproach, or lecture.

    He's going to get quite a telling off if his dad ever finds out about it.

Synonyms & antonyms

Also see
telling-tothe rough side of one's tongue

Translations

Swedish utskällning
  • utskällninga reprimand
Cite this entry
APA

telling off. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/telling%20off

MLA

“telling off.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/telling%20off. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “telling off,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/telling%20off.

Source: telling off on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.