Grammar fix
chew someone out
scold severely
To scold someone angrily and severely.
phrasal verb
How oftenNow and then
LevelC1
Used inMostly spoken
Hear it in context
Notice where the phrase sounds natural.
The coach chewed the players out after they ignored the game plan.
I once saw a teacher chew a student out in front of the class, and the whole room went completely silent.
Fix the pattern
One small grammar move makes it sound right.
Not: The captain chewed him off after the mistake.
Say: The captain chewed him out after the mistake.
The expression is 'chew someone out'; do not replace 'out' with 'off'.
Don't confuse it
Other ways to say it
Speak angrily to someone who did wrong
How harshOrdinary scoldingSevere scolding
tell someone offEspecially British: scolding someone for doing something wrong.dress downA forceful reprimand, often from someone in authority.
chew someone outYou're here · American and informal: reprimanding someone angrily and severely.