take to task

Idioms and Phrases

Upbraid, scold; blame or censure. For example, The teacher took Doris to task for turning in such a sloppy report . This term, dating from the mid-1700s, at first meant either assigning or challenging someone to a task. Its current sense dates from the late 1800s.

Example Sentences

They wrote: "When any organisation is in trouble it is the person at the top who is taken to task, not the person at the bottom."

From BBC

So, when Biden stepped aside and Harris stepped up, she couldn’t be taken to task for having been too ambitious a vice president who was eager to push him out of the way.

From Salon

Energy suppliers have been taken to task by the regulator Ofgem for the way they set direct debits.

From BBC

The linebacker was taken to task by some Ravens players and coach John Harbaugh after it appeared Wilson used a hip-drop tackle to bring down Mark Andrews on the opening drive of the game.

From Seattle Times

Former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy took to task the Biden administration and House Democrats for taking an “appeasement” stance with Hamas and not standing up to antisemitism within their party.

From Washington Times

Related Words

• accuse
• blame
• boycott
• brand
• castigate
• censure
• criticize
• decry
• excoriate
• prosecute
• rebuke
• revile
• scold
• threaten
• vilify