verb
Meaning 1
To scold.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: idiomatic, transitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Phrase guide
dress down
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
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verb
Meaning 2
To wear casual or informal clothes.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: intransitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
Meaning 3
To prepare (caught fish) by gutting them, removing the heads and backbones, etc.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Topics: nautical, transport
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
Meaning 4
dress informally and casually
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
- On Fridays, employees can underdress
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: underdress
Antonyms: dress up
Broader terms: dress, get dressed
verb
Meaning 5
censure severely or angrily
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
- The mother scolded the child for entering a stranger's car
- The deputy ragged the Prime Minister
- The customer dressed down the waiter for bringing cold soup
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: call on the carpet, take to task, rebuke, rag, trounce, reproof, lecture, reprimand, jaw, call down, scold, chide, berate, bawl out, remonstrate, chew out, chew up, have words, lambaste, lambast
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: knock, criticize, criticise, pick apart
Narrower terms: chastise, castigate, objurgate, chasten, correct, tell off, brush down
History
Etymology
From analogy with dress up.
Across languages
Translations
5 source translations are retained for this English entry.
- Italian: dare una strigliata a qualcuno — to scold
- Italian: strigliare un cavallo — to scold
- Polish: ganić — to scold
- Polish: zganić — to scold
- Swedish: ge en avhyvling — to scold