take to task

Other forms: taken to task; takes to task; took to task; taking to task

To take to task is to chew someone out for something they’ve done wrong. If you don’t do your homework for a week, your teacher will take you to task, and you better straighten up!

A task is a job, and if someone takes you to task, they’re letting you know you did a bad job. A teacher yelling at students for talking is taking them to task. A boss scolding employees for being late is taking them to task. Parents take their children to task for not doing chores. If you take someone to task, you’re making sure that the object of your scolding is not getting away with their actions.

Definitions of take to task

1. verb

   censure severely or angrily
   synonyms: bawl out, berate, call down, call on the carpet, chew out, chew up, chide, dress down, have words, jaw, lambast, lambaste, lecture, rag, rebuke, remonstrate, reprimand, reproof, scathe, scold, trounce, vituperate

   types:

   castigate, chasten, chastise, correct, objurgate

   censure severely

   brush down, tell off

   reprimand

   flame

   criticize harshly, usually via an electronic medium

   type of:

   criticise, criticize, knock, pick apart

   find fault with; express criticism of; point out real or perceived flaws