raking over the coals
Severe verbal criticism
Raking over the coals means revisiting past mistakes or failures, usually to criticize or assign blame.
The phrase suggests stirring up something that had cooled and settled: Every family dinner, she rakes him over the coals for the divorce.
A related expression, *rake over the ashes*, carries the same sense of picking through what's already burned out.
- chastisingCriticizing severely for faults
- scoldingHarsh verbal criticism
- rebukingVoicing sharp disapproval
- giving griefPersistently bothering someone
- beratingHarsh verbal criticism
reading the riot act · fault-finding · reproaching · taking to task · embers · lambasting · castigating · ripping into · admonishing · recrimination · censuring · verbal lashing · reconciliation · flames · sparks · guilt · shame · reprimanding
raking over the coalssoft-pedaling
Understating something deliberately
handling with kid gloves · sugarcoating · praising · commending · lauding