take a shellacking
take a shellacking
1. To be thoroughly beaten or thrashed; to suffer rough treatment or abuse. My younger brother was always a shy, skinny kid who often took a shellacking from schoolyard bullies. My feet have taken a shellacking from hiking in these old sneakers.
2. To be soundly defeated or bested; to lose by a wide margin. Their team's inexperience showed on the pitch today, as they took a shellacking from the powerful squad from New Zealand.
See also: shellac, take
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.
take a shellacking
Be soundly beaten or defeated, as in Our team took quite a shellacking last night. Why being coated with shellac should suggest defeat is not clear. [Slang; c. 1930]
See also: shellac, take
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
- get a shellacking
- shellac
- take a punishing
- take a hammering
- take a drubbing
- get a hammering
- give somebody/get a hammering
- take a beating
- give (one) a hammering
- give (someone or something) a shellacking