Opinion - Criticism

Master English idioms regarding criticism, like "be on the receiving end" and "throw cold water on".

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a flea in one's ear

[phrase]

a sharp expression of one's disapproval or criticism of someone as a result of their action or behavior

Ex: As the project deadline approached, the team members got a flea in their ears about the potential delays and worked diligently to address the issues and meet the target.

to have a go

[phrase]

to criticize someone severely because of what they said or did

Ex: The parent had a go at their child for breaking the rules and not following the agreed-upon guidelines.

to read somebody the riot act

[phrase]

to angrily warn or threaten someone so that they will not make the same mistake

Ex: Displeased with the team's performance, the manager read the riot act to them about meeting project deadlines.

to rake somebody or something over the coals

[phrase]

to severely criticize someone because of their mistake

Ex: During the performance evaluation, the supervisor raked the employee over the coals for consistent underperformance.

to drag somebody or something over the coals

[phrase]

to subject someone to severe criticism

Ex: If we keep dragging over the coals from yesterday's argument, we'll never sort out the future.

let somebody have it

[sentence]

to violently criticize or punish a person over what they did or said

Ex: Disappointed with the team's lack of effort, the coach let the players have it during halftime, motivating them to step up their performance.

to whale on somebody or something

[phrase]

to strongly criticize someone or something for something bad that has happened

Ex: The journalist's exposé whaled on the government's handling of the situation, uncovering instances of negligence and incompetence.

water off a duck's back

[phrase]

(of criticisms or warnings) failing to have any effect on a person

Ex: No matter how challenging the circumstances, the resilient leader faced adversity with a stoic demeanor, allowing criticism to be like water off a duck's back.

in the firing line

[phrase]

likely to receive much criticism

Ex: The outspoken politician always puts themselves in the firing line by expressing controversial opinions on social issues.

be on the receiving end

[phrase]

to experience the effects or consequences of actions, often from others

Ex: After making a mistake in the presentation, he was on the receiving end of corrective feedback from the supervisor.

in full cry

[phrase]

used to refer to the act of doing something with a lot of energy and excitement

Ex: In the bustling marketplace, vendors were in full cry, promoting their products and calling out to potential customers.

to throw cold water on something

[phrase]

to demotivate a person by talking negatively about their plans or opinions

Ex: The team was buzzing with excitement about the new marketing strategy, but the senior executive's critical remarks threw cold water on their optimism, prompting a reconsideration of the approach.

the pot calling the kettle black

[phrase]

used when someone is criticizing another for a fault that they have as well

Ex: When the manager accused the team of lacking professionalism, it felt like the pot calling the kettle black, considering the manager's own habit of arriving late to meetings.

to take a beating

[phrase]

to face strong negative feedback or verbal abuse

Ex: In the competitive business world, entrepreneurs often have to take a beating from market forces, adapting to challenges and learning from failures to ultimately succeed.

Opinion
Agreement or Approval	Disagreement or Disapproval	Criticism	Rebuke
Expressing Opinions	Discussion	Point of View	Making a Point
Thoughts & Assumptions	Argument	Quarrel

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