slap down

verb

1. informal.
   tr, adverb to rebuke sharply, as for impertinence

Idioms and Phrases

Restrain or correct emphatically, as in They thought he was getting far too arrogant and needed to be slapped down . This idiom, which literally means “inflict a physical blow,” began to be used figuratively in the first half of the 1900s.

Example Sentences

So when Kane diverted from his trademark non-controversial messaging to deliver what amounted to a very public slap down on England team-mates for missing the forthcoming Uefa Nations League games against Greece and the Republic of Ireland, it was a moment of wide significance.

From BBC

FDR, Harry Truman, JFK, LBJ and MLK deployed their dominance skills to crush Hitler, halt Stalin, slap down bigots like Charles Coughlin, George Wallace, and Barry Goldwater and enact practically every piece of progressive legislation that the Democrats are fighting a rearguard action to salvage today.

From Salon

As soon as Kildunne returned, wing Bo Westcombe-Evans was shown a yellow card for a deliberate slap down, but a number of handling errors from Canada meant they were unable to again take advantage of the extra player.

From BBC

An authentic if bumbling Walz wasn’t ready to slap down his lies.

From Salon

The 11th Circuit, as it has before, will probably slap down Cannon’s ruling and order the case to be reinstated.

From Salon

Related Words

• berate
• castigate
• censure
• flog
• lash
• punish
• upbraid