give someone what for
verbEtymology
From 19th century, as a threatening rebuke to an impertinent (by 19th century standards) question of "what for?". Parent: "Go to your room." Child: "What for?" Parent (angrily): "Disobey me, and I'll give you 'what for'!"
Definitions
To punish
To punish; to rebuke.
- She gave him what for all right. But you could see she was ever so pleased and she went around telling everybody about it.
- 2002, Joss Whedon, "The Ballad of Jayne Cobb" in "Jaynestown", Firefly. He robbed from the rich, and he gave to the poor / Stood up to The Man and he gave him what for.
- ... 'e gived 'em up, an' repented somethin' horrid — there still bein' the buns to come — but Miss Soapy she gave 'im what- for-proper, she did!
The neighborhood
Vish — recursive loop
No curated loop yet for give someone what for. Loops are being traced one word at a time while the ingestion pipeline matures.
sense glosses and etymology drawn from English Wiktionary · source · CC-BY-SA