take to task, to

take someone to task

to scold or reprimand someone. The teacher took John to task for his bad behavior. I lost a big contract, and the boss took me to task in front of everyone.

take to task

Upbraid, scold; blame or censure. For example, The teacher took Doris to task for turning in such a sloppy report. This term, dating from the mid-1700s, at first meant either assigning or challenging someone to a task. Its current sense dates from the late 1800s.

take to task, to

To reprimand; to blame or censure. This term was used from the mid-eighteenth century to mean either assigning or challenging someone to a task. In its present meaning it has been current only since the late nineteenth century. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle used it in Captain Polestar (1890): “My employer took me severely to task.” It sounds a bit stilted now and may be dying out.

词组	take to task, to
释义	take to task, to take someone to task to scold or reprimand someone. The teacher took John to task for his bad behavior. I lost a big contract, and the boss took me to task in front of everyone. See also: take, task McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. take to task Upbraid, scold; blame or censure. For example, The teacher took Doris to task for turning in such a sloppy report. This term, dating from the mid-1700s, at first meant either assigning or challenging someone to a task. Its current sense dates from the late 1800s. See also: take, task The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer. take to task, to To reprimand; to blame or censure. This term was used from the mid-eighteenth century to mean either assigning or challenging someone to a task. In its present meaning it has been current only since the late nineteenth century. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle used it in Captain Polestar (1890): “My employer took me severely to task.” It sounds a bit stilted now and may be dying out. See also: take The Dictionary of Clichés by Christine Ammer See also: an uphill task task cooperate cooperate on (something) work (one's) way through (something) work, etc. your way through something get round to (something) on task come to the task with (something) tough/hard/long row to hoe, a
随便看	to way of thinking towel towel down toweling towel off towel up tower tower above tower above (someone or something) tower head and shoulders above tower head and shoulders above (someone or something) tower head and shoulders over (someone or something) towering towering rage, in a tower of strength tower over tower over (someone or something) To what do I owe the honor? To what do I owe the pleasure? towhead towheaded to whom it may concern to whom this may concern tow in to windward