call on the carpet

Thesaurus

Verb

1.

call on the carpet - censure severely or angrily; "The mother scolded the child for entering a stranger's car"; "The deputy ragged the Prime Minister"; "The customer dressed down the waiter for bringing cold soup" chew out, chew up, chide, dress down, have words, bawl out, berate, rebuke, reproof, scold, take to task, call down, lambast, lambaste, lecture, reprimand, remonstrate, trounce, jaw, rag castigate, chasten, chastise, objurgate, correct - censure severely; "She chastised him for his insensitive remarks" brush down, tell off - reprimand; "She told the misbehaving student off" criticise, criticize, pick apart, knock - find fault with; express criticism of; point out real or perceived flaws; "The paper criticized the new movie"; "Don't knock the food--it's free"