Citations:give someone what for

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English citations of give someone what for

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(idiomatic, slang) To punish; to rebuke.
  1. 2007, Wilbur Smith, The Sound of Thunder, p. 135:
    She gave him what for all right. But you could see she was ever so pleased and she went around telling everybody about it.
  2. 2002, Joss Whedon, "The Ballad of Jayne Cobb" in "Jaynestown", Firefly.
    He robbed from the rich, and he gave to the poor / Stood up to The Man and he gave him what for.
  3. 2000, Ngaio Marsh, Photo Finish, p. 187:
    The Sommita threw a violent temperament, gave them what for, kicked them out, and locked the door after them.
  4. 1999, Emile Zola, Roger Pearson, La Bete Humaine, p. 162:
    And that little upstart had better not be back, or I'll give him what for.
  5. 1994, Jerry Blunt, Stage Dialects, p. 72:
    He's got the fork, but I'll give him what for if he takes the pipe
  6. 1993, Xiaoxiaosheng, David Tod Roy, The Plum in the Golden Vase, Or, Chin Pʻing Mei: The Rivals, p. 60:
    "How should I know what transactions were involved?" laughed Tai-an. At this, the woman ran after him and gave him what for with her fists.
  7. 1991, Julie Garwood, The Bride, p. 239:
    "We gave him what-for, didn't we?
  8. 1980, Rebecca West, The Thinking Reed, p. 80:
    Though, mind you, Papa sometimes puts his little boy across his knee and gives him what for!
  9. 1972, Gerald Durrell, Catch Me a Colobus, p. 71:
    Then I took 'is gun away from 'im, and I gave 'im what for. I don't think 'ee'll be 'unting again in an 'urry.'
  10. 1912, Edward Burke, Bachelor's Buttons: The Candid Confessions of a Shy Bachelor, p. 133:
    ... 'e gived 'em up, an' repented somethin' horrid — there still bein' the buns to come — but Miss Soapy she gave 'im what- for-proper, she did!
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