rap (one's) knuckles

1. Literally, to smack someone, especially a child, on the knuckles as a punishment for misbehavior. The teacher was fired for rapping students' knuckles when they spoke out of turn.

2. By extension, to give someone a warning, verbal scolding, or a minor punishment. The public was outraged that the government merely rapped the company's knuckles for illegally dumping chemicals in the river. The boss rapped my knuckles for coming in late on Friday.

rap someone's knuckles

Reprimand, as in If I'd seen John take that last piece of cake, I'd have rapped his knuckles. This term transfers a physical punishment to a verbal one. [Late 1600s]

词组	rap (one's) knuckles
释义	rap (one's) knuckles rap (one's) knuckles 1. Literally, to smack someone, especially a child, on the knuckles as a punishment for misbehavior. The teacher was fired for rapping students' knuckles when they spoke out of turn. 2. By extension, to give someone a warning, verbal scolding, or a minor punishment. The public was outraged that the government merely rapped the company's knuckles for illegally dumping chemicals in the river. The boss rapped my knuckles for coming in late on Friday. See also: knuckle, rap Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. rap someone's knuckles Reprimand, as in If I'd seen John take that last piece of cake, I'd have rapped his knuckles. This term transfers a physical punishment to a verbal one. [Late 1600s] See also: knuckle, rap The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer. See also: rap someone's knuckles rap (one) on the knuckles rap (one) over the knuckles rap on the knuckles rap over the knuckles rap somebody over the knuckles rap someone on the knuckles get (one's) knuckles rapped get knuckles rapped knuckle
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