tell off

verb

1. informal.
   to reprimand; scold

   they told me off for stealing apples

2. to count and dismiss

   he told off four more soldiers

Derived Forms

• telling off, noun

Idioms and Phrases

Rebuke severely, reprimand, as in It's time someone told her off about her behavior . There is also a synonymous expression, tell someone where to get off , as in When he called back a third time, I told him where to get off . [ Colloquial ; early 1900s] Also see get off , def. 7.